Double page bookplate illustrating a color exercise with two graphs. The one on the left breaks down the wavelength on the horizontal axis and the transmittance reflectance on the vertical axis, with the color spectrum along the bottom, six curved lines and white, blue, green, yellow and orange squares pasted at intervals. The one on the right similarly breaks down the wavelength on the horizontal axis and the transmittance reflectance on the vertical axis, with the color spectrum along the bottom, five lines curving upwards to indicate growth and five larger red squares gradually getting darker in color on the top right.

There is one other image of this object. See our image rights statement.

See more objects with the tag squares, Bauhaus, color theory, offset lithograph, color harmony, color interaction.

Object Timeline

	We acquired this object.
1963	Work on this object began.
2018	We photographed this object. We photographed this object. We exhibited this object.
2024	You found it!

Bookplate, Interaction of Color

This is a bookplate. It was written by Josef Albers and published by Yale University Press.

This object is not part of the Cooper Hewitt's permanent collection. It was able to spend time at the museum on loan from Smithsonian Libraries and Archives as part of Saturated: The Allure and Science of Color.

It is dated 1963. Its medium is offset lithograph on paper.

In this color exercise, Albers demonstrates the phenomenon of after-image, more specifically, reversed after- image. After staring at the image on the left for thirty seconds and shifting your gaze to the center of the white square, the diamond shapes are seen in yellow rather than the expected after-image complement, blue.

It is credited Smithsonian Libraries, ND1489 .A33.

Square print on white paper with three concentric squares in violet, maroon, and red placed at the center of the sheet. Each square is placed near the bottom of its surrounding square. The brightness of the violet color makes the reds appear dull. The colors appear to vibrate where they meet.

Print, Palatial, Homage to the Square, Soft Edge – Hard Edge
screenprint on white paper.
Gift of the Museum of Graphic Art, New York.
1973-39-108

A brush and goucahe drawing on white wove paper illustrating three different color variations of a dynamic triangular motif in blue, green and red watercolor, accented with metallic paints, for the packaging of men's accessories. In the center is a large deep blue triangle with two triangles in the right and left points and several vertical rectangles in the central point. These shapes are deep blue, mid blue, pale blue and white in color. Underneath to the left is a smaller triangle formed from the same motifs but this time in green, silver, black and white. Underneath to the right is another triangle of the same smaller size formed from the same motifs, but this time in red, gold, black and white. The number 478 is written in red underneath the left corner of the blue triangle, while the number 2 is written in graphite on the right side of the right small triangle.

Drawing, Package Design
brush and gouache, watercolor, silver and gold paint, graphite on white wove....
Gift of University of California, Los Angeles.
1973-15-58

Overlapping triangles in various tones of magenta, green, purple, blue, and orange on a medium gray background. At center, 9 triangles fit into eachother to form an irregular circle. The sporadic, overlapping triangles form a halo over the center circle.

Drawing, Color Rhythm, from The Mathematical Basis of the Arts
brush and tempera on illustration board.
Gift of Mrs. Joseph Schillinger.
1966-33-1

Our curators have highlighted 3 objects that are related to this one.

Textile Fragment, Small Squares
synthetic blend.
Gift of Alexander H. Girard.
1969-165-1356

Book, Color Problems: A Practical Manual for the Lay Student of Color

Book, Color Problems: A Practical Manual for the Lay Student of Color
offset lithograph on paper.
Smithsonian Libraries, QC495 .V3 1903.
92.2016.31

Book, Plate V-III-2, Interaction of Color

Book, Plate V-III-2, Interaction of Color
screenprint on paper.
Smithsonian Libraries, ND1489.A33.
92.2016.53

Its dimensions are

H x W: 30.5 × 51 cm (12 in. × 20 1/16 in.)

This object was previously on display as a part of the exhibition Saturated: The Allure and Science of Color.

Short URL http://cprhw.tt/o/2FYCJk/
Accession Number 92.2016.48
Object ID 1108749943