- Museum number
- 1850,1014.476.1-9.+
- Description
-
Jacob Christoff Le Blon, "Coloritto; or the Harmony of Colouring in Painting: Reduced to Mechanical Practice, under Easy Precepts, and Infallible Rules; Together with some Colour'd Figures, In order to render the said Precepts and Rules intelligible, not only to Painters, but even to all Lovers of Painting" (London n.d. [1725]); containing 9 mezzotint plates demonstrating the process of colour printing, including six different states of the head of a girl, and three states of a painter's palette. Re-bound with letterpress titlepages, dedication, text and "Appendix to the Treatise of the Coloritto," all in parallel English and French.
Mezzotint; colour mezzotints; hand-colour
- Production date
- 1725
- Dimensions
-
Height: 302 millimetres
-
Width: 257 millimetres (size of the volume)
- Curator's comments
- See Margaret Morgan Grasselli et al., "Colorful Impressions: The Printmaking Revolution in Eighteenth-Century France" (National Gallery of Art Washington, 2003).
"Coloritto" was reprinted in Paris in 1756 with the title "L'Art d'imprimer les tableaux". As the above catalogue explains, Le Blon's treatise sought 'to differentiate between the properties of "material" colours, such as paint pigments, and immaterial or intangible colours, such as light, which are the subject of Sir Isaac Newton's famous book, "Opticks", published in London in 1704. Specifically, Le Blon attempts to explain how the entire spectrum of light rays, when mixed together, can produce white, yet the same colors of paint pigments mixed together produce black. The difference, he posits, lies in the opacity of "material" colours and in the immateriality or translucency of light' (Grasselli, p. 44).
See also Ad Stijnman, "Engraving and Etching, 1400-2000" (Archetype, 2012), pp. 359-361, for further differentiation between Newton's theory of light and Le Blon's work on colour.
The pages and plates have been guarded and re-bound. The spine of the binding dates this volume to 1722, but the publication date is 1725. Because the titlepages of "Coloritto" do not have an impressum it was long unsure when the volume was published. The date of "1722" is probably in browned iron-gall ink, in which case it was written in the 19th cy, when interest in Le Blon slowly returned. Lilien (1985), in his study in Le Blon was the first to confirm the year 1725 and the following contemporary advertisements from London newspapers give precise details. With thanks to Nick Stogdon and Ad Stijnman.
Printing of Coloritto was in progress on 23 March 1725:
The Daily Courant, 23 March, 1725. Issue 7311.
“Now Printing by Subscription, COLORITTO; or, the Harmony of Colouring in Painting, reduced to Mechanical Practice, under Easy Precepts and Infallible Rules. Together with some Coloured Figures, in order to render the said Precepts and Rules intelligible, not only to Painters, but even to all Lovers of Painting. In English and French, by J.C. le Blon. To be deliver’d to Subscribers at Two Guineas each Book, viz. a Guinea to be paid first, and another at the Delivery, which will be in Six Weeks. Specimens may be seen, and Subscriptions taken in at the Author’s Lodgings, at the Bible and Dial, over-against Katherine-street in the Strand; Mess. W and J Innys in St. Paul's Church-yard; R. Ford, at the Angel in the Poultry, near Stocks-Market; J. Senex, at the Globe in Fleetstreet; P. Dunoyer, at Erasmus's Head in the Strand; and S. Chapman, at the Angel in the Pall-Mall.”
Coloritto was published on 31 May 1725:
The Daily Post, 31 May, 1725. Issue 1772.
“This Day is publish'd, (Ready to be deliver'd to the Subscribers) COLORITTO; or, the Harmony of Colouring in Painting reduced to Mechanical Practice, under easy Precepts, and infallible Rules, together with one Print in Metzotinto, and four Colour'd Figures, in order to render the said Precepts and Rules intelligible, not only to Painters, but even to all lovers of Painting. In English and French. By J. C. Le Blon. And, an Appendix with four Colour'd Figures. NB. There are but very few Books printed with the Appendix, besides those for the Use of the Subscribers; and none others can purchase them under Two Guineas and an Half; but the Book without the Appendix will be sold for One Guinea, and the Subscribers are at Liberty to receive their Books with or without the Appendix, and to pay for 'em accordingly, at the Authors Lodgings at the Bible and Dial over-against Katharine-street in the Strand; Mess. W. and J. Innys in St. Paul's Church-yard; Richard Ford, at the Angel in the Poultry, near Stocks-Market; John Senex, at the Globe in Fleet-street; Peter Dunoyer, at Erasmus's Head in the Strand; and Samuel Chapman, at the Angel in the Pall Mall.”
Three days later Coloritto was advertised as "just published":
The Daily Courant, 3 June, 1725. Issue 7373.
“Just Published, (Ready to be deliver'd to the Subscribers) COLORITTO; or, the Harmony of Colouring in Painting, reduced to Mechanical Practice, under easy Precepts, and infallible Rules; together with one Print in Metzotinto, and four colour'd Figures, in Order to render the said Precepts and Rules intelligible, not only to Painters, but even to all Lovers of Painting. In English and French. By J. C. Le Blon. And an Appendix, with four colour'd Figures. NB. There are but very few Books printed with the Appendix besides those for the Use of the Subscribers; and none others can purchase them under two Guineas and an half; but the Book without the Appendix will be sold for one Guinea, and the Subscribers are at Liberty to receive their Books with or without the Appendix, and to pay for them accordingly, at the Authors Lodgings, at the Bible and Dial, over-against Katharine-street in the Strand; Mess W. and J. Innys, in St.Paul's Church-yard; R. Ford, at the Angel in the Poultry, near Stocks-Market; J. Senex, at the Globe in Fleetstreet; Peter Dunoyer, at Erasmus Head in the Strand; and S. Chapman, at the Angel in the Pall-Mall.”
The Daily Post, 3 June, 1725. Issue 1775.
“Just publish'd, (Ready to be deliver'd to the Subscribers) COLORITTO; or, the Harmony of Colouring in Painting reduced to Mechanical Practice, under easy Precepts, and infallible Rules, together with one Print in Metzotinto, and four Colour'd Figures, in order to render the said Precepts and Rules intelligible, not only to Painters, but even to all lovers of Painting. In English and French. By J. C. Le Blon. And, an Appendix with four Colour'd Figures. N B. There are but very few Books printed with the Appendix, besides those for the Use of the Subscribers; and none others can purchase them under Two Guineas and an Half, but the Book without the Appendix will be sold for One Guinea and the Subscribers are at Liberty to receive their Books with or without the Appendix, and to pay for 'em accordingly, at the Authors Lodgings at the Bible and Dial over-against Katharine-street in the Strand; Mess. W. and J. Innys in St.Paul's Church-yard; Richard Ford, at the Angel in the Poultry, near Stocks-Market; John Senex, at the Globe in Fleet-street; Peter Dunoyer, at Erasmus's Head in the Strand; and Samuel Chapman, at the Angel in the Pall Mall.”
- Location
- Not on display
- Associated titles
-
Associated Title: Coloritto; or the Harmony of Colouring in Painting
-
Associated Title: L'Harmonie du Coloris dans la Peinture
- Acquisition date
- 1850
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1850,1014.476.1-9.+