The History of Color

This digital collection features a broad selection of materials related to the scientific study of color and the science and practice of dyeing and painting.

With the accidental discovery in 1856 of the first commercialized synthetic dye, mauve, Perkin introduced a new era in the chemical industry.

Take a colorful journey through more than 150 years of natural and synthetic dye-making.

The enduring appeal of tie-dye.

Interested in historical materials about color? Explore our museum and library collections!

Learn about the Navajo “Eye-Dazzler” in this interactive virtual museum program.

Color by numbers—no problem, thanks to Albert H. Munsell, who pioneered methods for color comparison.

Encountering rare earths in art, environments, and the phone in my pocket.

Many everyday items are described as “flesh” and “nude” in color. Whose skin color do they represent?

In exile, Navajo created new designs for their rugs and blankets using the new synthetic dyes.

How cataracts nearly ruined the impressionist painter’s career—and then revived it by giving him an insect-like superpower.

DuPont’s colorists were prophets of the color revolution, guiding corporations and consumers in choosing hues for everything from car fenders to countertops.