A Color Guide Book Dated 1692 Was Found in France
The 800-page book contains an extensive color chart, with each color sample having a description, color code, and instructions for creating a particular shade.
When it comes to graphics, a number of artists and designers refer to the Pantone Color Guide as it is a worldwide standard that helps creators to select, communicate, and compare colors for their artwork. The first Pantone Guide with 10 colors was created in 1963 – back then, it was considered a revolution as the guide specified the exact formula of the ink for each color.
However, it turns out that similar guides were first created long before the introduction of the Pantone Color Guide – an 800-page book on color theory written back in 1692 was recently discovered in France. Apparently, the book called "Traité Des Couleurs Servant à la Peinture à L'Eau" exists in a single copy, so even at the time of its creation, not many people saw it.
Written by an artist named Boogert A., the book contains an extensive watercolor color chart as well as a manual that explains how to prepare watercolors intended for coloring engravings and drawing. Traité Des Couleurs Servant à la Peinture à L'Eau is distinguished by the level of detail and scale, even by today's standards.
The book was written completely by hand and provides watercolor samples of all kinds, with each such sample having a description and instructions for creating a particular shade. In addition, for each sample, the author added color codes similar to the ones we see in some HTML color charts.
The book is currently stored at Les Méjanes library in Aix-en-Provence, France but you can find its digital version here.
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