An Approach to Three Theories of Color. Part II: Wilhelm Ostwald

Friedrich Wilhelm Ostwald (1853–1932) was a prominent German chemist, known primarily for his work in the theory of catalysis and chemical thermodynamics. He was born in Riga, Latvia, into a family of German origin. He studied at the University of Tartu and the University of Saint Petersburg, where he trained in chemistry and mathematics.

Ostwald is best known for his research on chemical reactions, especially on chemical equilibrium and the laws that govern it, which contributed significantly to the understanding of the kinetics and thermodynamics of reactions.

He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1909 "for his work in the field of catalysts and the creation of a general theory of catalysis." Furthermore, Ostwald pioneered the introduction of mathematical concepts into chemistry, promoting a more quantitative approach to the science.

Throughout his career, Ostwald was also interested in philosophy and psychology, and even founded a philosophical movement known as "energy theory," which was based on the application of energy in various natural and human phenomena.

Unlike Newton, Ostwald studied color as a physicochemical phenomenon and therefore dedicated the founding of a specialized laboratory to it in the city of Dresden in 1920. Although he made the first solid associations between colors and color sensations, his entire study focused on models of chromatic organization and the search for standardization in their use.

Ostwald based his theory of color perception on three variables: hue, saturation, and brightness, represented by a three-dimensional double cone. Unlike Isaac Newton's findings on light, he established red, blue, yellow, and green as the primary colors. He positioned white and black at each edge of the central axis of the bicone, and yellow, red, blue, and green at each subdivision of the circumference. The resulting pairs (red/green, blue/yellow, white/black) constitute the opponent colors.

Die farbenfibel by Wilhelm Ostwald 1921 page 25. 1921. Science History Institute. Public domain photograph via picryl.com

Twenty-four hues, ranging from yellow to red, green, and violet, are defined on the circle. Through this system, Ostwald classified colors as warm or cool, contributing to the psychological theory of color.

Today, the color system developed by Ostwald is used for the color encoding of the latest generation of televisions, providing an improvement in the color transitions of screens. His book "The Color Primer," which compiles all his research on color, was published in 1916.

Theologians and researchers Ostwald and Küppers meet in two fundamental aspects of their contributions to the field: one, in relation to the physical-chemical component of color; the other, regarding the importance of color pedagogy.