Friedrich Wilhelm Ostwald (1853-1932) was a prominent German chemist, best known for his work on the theory of catalysis and chemical thermodynamics. He was born in Riga, Latvia, to a family of German origin. He studied at the University of Tartu and the University of St. Petersburg, where he was trained in chemistry and mathematics.
Ostwald is best known for his research on chemical reactions, especially on chemical equilibrium and the laws governing 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." In addition, Ostwald pioneered the introduction of mathematical concepts into chemistry, promoting a more quantitative approach to science.
Throughout his career, Ostwald also became interested in philosophy and psychology, and even founded a philosophical school known as "energy theory," which was based on the application of energy in various natural and human phenomena.
Unlike Newton, Ostwald studied colour as a physicochemical phenomenon and founded a specialised laboratory in Dresden in 1920. Although he made the first solid associations with colours and colour sensations, his entire study focused on models of chromatic organisation and the search for standardisation of their use.
Ostwald based the perception of colour on three variables: hue, saturation and brightness, represented in a three-dimensional double cone. Unlike the results of Isaac Newton's study of light, he established red, blue, yellow and green as the elementary colours. On each edge of the central axis of the bicone he placed white and black, and in each subdivision of the circumference yellow, red, blue and green. The resulting pairs (red/green, blue/yellow, white/black) make up the opposing colours.
The circle defines 24 shades ranging from yellow to red, green and violet. Using this system, Ostwald classifies colours into warm and cold, thus contributing to the psychological theory of colour.
Today, the colour system developed by Ostwald is used for the chromatic coding of the latest generation of televisions, providing an improvement in the colour transition of screens. In 1916, his book “The Color Primer” was published, which compiles all his research on colour.
Theologians and researchers Ostwald and Küppers agree on 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.
