Wilhelm Ostwald — Colour standards: Art, Science, Technology

The Bauhaus Ecologies exhibition explores approaches to ecological thinking in modern design. Ostwald’s colour theory is precisely one of these approaches.

In addition to his work as a physical chemist, Nobel Prize winner Wilhelm Ostwald (1853-1932) also developed his own colour theory. This made it possible to clearly designate and measure each individual colour tone.

In the 1920s, Ostwald’s colour designations were widely used in science and technology. In his function as a colour researcher, Wilhelm Ostwald stood at the interface between art, science and technology.

The lecture provides insights into the historical and scientific development of Ostwald’s colour theory, its application and its social reception.

Language: German

With Dr. Stefan Schymura, Research Associate, Wilhelm Ostwald Park, Grimma