Colour theory is really a foundational element of art making even in a black and white or metal piece I still consider it. This blog piece by Peter Kraus discusses some seminal writings on the topic. I have been inspired by many of these books.

(This is part three of three in this blog series, click here for previous instalment)

A Dialogue with Color

Color theory explored in three jewels of book-making.

By Peter Kraus June 25, 2019

Color has been a subject of fascination and importance for artists and designers since our earliest times and cultures. Over the centuries, numerous books have explored theories of color—how it used and perceived.

Tagebuch: Beiträge zu einem Kontrapunkt der Bildenden Kunst by Johannes Itten (1930)

Johannes Itten taught at the Bauhaus from 1919 to 1923. Tagebuch illustrates his teaching philosophy and expounds on his theories of color, composition, and form.

Itten’s development of the foundation class for the Bauhaus school revolutionized art education. Instead of having students copy works of the Old Masters, he encouraged them to explore their own feelings and to experiment with colors, materials, and forms. His course emphasized three elements: studies of natural forms and colors, the analysis of canonical artworks, and life drawing. It pioneered techniques that remain central to teaching in art schools today, including the encouragement of self-expression and experimentation with materials and techniques. All students were required to complete this training before moving onto more specific courses.

Itten developed an intricate theory of color, which associated color palettes with types of people and seasons. His work on color contrasts, which characterized seven different types of comparisons, was important for the development of Op Art, but would also influence palettes designed by cosmetic companies in the late 20th century. The text is lithographed from Itten's own handwriting and is profusely illustrated with his designs, some of which were colored by hand using the pochoir method.

Itten’s Tagebuch is a legendary rarity, because the bulk of the edition (a total of 330) was destroyed during World War II.

For those interested in finding out more about these books, including possible acquisition (Vanderpoel and Itten), please contact Peter Kraus at Ursus Books & Gallery: (212) 772-8787 or ursus@ursusbooks.com:

Emily Vanderpoel. Color Problems: A Practical Manual for the Lay Student of Color. xv, 137 pp. Illustrated with 117 color plates, each on a stub, and an envelope containing a chart and two plastic color squares and mask. 8vo., 194 x 145 mm, bound in original green cloth, gilt on front cover and spine. New York: Longmans, Green & Co., 1903. This fine copy is complete with the mask, which is usually missing, inside the pocket of the rear cover. $2,500.00.

Johannes Itten. Tagebuch: Beiträge zu einem Kontrapunkt der Bildenden Kunst. 114 pp. Illustrated throughout by Itten, including several color pochoir plates and numerous tipped-in photographs. Oblong folio, 390 x 525, bound in publisher's blue cloth and matching slipcase. Berlin: Verlag der Itten-Schule, 1930. This is one of the surviving copies (of a total edition of 330), which had remained in sheets, and was bound up and offered for sale in 1962. $4,750.00.

Peter Kraus is the founder and current owner of Ursus Books & Gallery in Manhattan, which offers a comprehensive selection of art reference books, superb copies of rare books in all fields, and decorative prints.

(This is part three of three in this blog series, click here for previous instalment)