Issuu

Orange Coloured White

Cream Yellow

Snow White

Ash Grey

Rose Red

Peach Blossom Red

Crimson Red

Aurora Red

Scarlet Red

Red Lake

Gamboge Yellow

Dutch Orange

Emerald Green

Sap Green

Verdigris Green

Pistachio Green

Grass Green

Olive Green

Greyish Blue

Verditter Blue

Ultramarine Blue

Indigo Blue

Scotch Blue

Greyish Black

Introduction First published in 1814, Werner’s Nomenclature of Colours is a taxonomic guide to colour which has been cherished by naturalists and anthropologists for over two centuries. In the pre-photographic age almost all visual details had to be captured using the written word, and scientific observers could not afford any ambiguity in their descriptions. These included Charles Darwin, for whom Werner’s Nomenclature proved an indispensible tool during his seminal voyage on HMS Beagle. In the late 1790’s Abraham Gottlob Werner devised his own standardised colour scheme, which allowed the writer to describe even the subtlest of chromatic differences with consistent terminology. His scheme was then adapted by an Edinburgh flower painter, Patrick Syme, who traced the actual minerals described by Werner, and used them to create the colour charts found in the book. Every colour in the book evokes a vision of the natural world. The language used to characterise each colour is a large part of what makes the book so unique. These elegant descriptions, chosen using ‘like colours’ from the animal, vegetable or mineral kingdoms, provide a practical guide to the colours you find in nature, and an insight into the foundation on which our understanding of colour systems was built. Werner’s Nomenclature of Colours is a charming artefact from the age of explorers, which continues to be treasured by artists and scientists alike.

The Colours

Reds With comparisons to red cobalt ore, shrubby pimpernel and red coral, the descriptions for Werner’s red palette take inspiration from some of the earthiest and fiery colours found in the natural world.

7598C

7601C

7621C

Tile Red

Hyacinth Red

Scarlet Red

7620C

7618C

7623C

Vermillion Red

Aurora Red

Arterial Blood Red

7514C

482C

7513C

Flesh Red

Rose Red

Peach Blossom Red

Reds (contd) With comparisons to precious garnet, the red tulip and the breast of a bird of paradise, Werner’s extensive red palette evokes some of best examples of nature’s rouge.

198C

201C

7523C

Carmine Red

Lake Red

Crimson Red

7421C

7609C

Black 5 C

Purplish Red

Cochineal Red

Veinous Blood Red

7615C

497C

7624C

Brownish Purple Red

Chocolate Red

Brownish Red

Oranges With comparisons to dark Brazilian topaz, the style of the orange lily and the streak from the eye of the King fisher, the descriptions for Werner’s orange palette take inspiration from some of nature’s warmest hues.

7564C

7411C

1595C

Dutch Orange

Buff Orange

Orpiment Orange

7627C

7583C

7597C

Brownish Orange

Reddish Orange

Deep Reddish Orange

Yellows With comparisons to sulphur, yellow jasmine and the head of a golden pheasant, the descriptions for Werner’s yellow palette take inspiration from some of the brightest shades found in nature.

7751C

614C

7754C

Sulphur Yellow

Primrose Yellow

Wax Yellow

617C

7753C

459C

Lemon Yellow

Gamboge Yellow

Kings Yellow

7563C

Saffron Yellow

Yellows (contd) With comparisons to the polar bear, the body of a silk moth and the stamina of honeysuckle, Werner’s yellow palette takes inspiration from far-reaching corners of the globe.

167C

7510C

115C

Gallstone Yellow

Honey Yellow

Straw Yellow

4515C

7508C

156C

Wine Yellow

Sienna Yellow

Ochre Yellow

7501C

Cream Yellow

Greens With comparisons to the ripe pound pear, beryl and the brimstone butterfly, the descriptions for Werner’s extensive green palette borrows from some of the most lush and dense corners of the natural world.

7490C

5605C

575C

Grass Green

Duck Green

Sap Green

7491C

5787C

5555C

Pistachio Green

Asparagus Green

Olive Green

7760C

617C

Oil Green

Siskin Green

Colours to be used as a guide when matching painted artwork

Greens (contd) With comparisons to emerald, the leaves of cayenne pepper and the beauty spot on the wing of the Teak drake, the descriptions for Werner’s green palette take inspiration from wide-reaching parts of nature.

559C

5793C

7494C

Celandine Green

Mountain Green

Leek Green

5615C

7723C

558C

Blackish Green

Vedigris Green

Bluish Green

344C

346C

Apple Green

Emerald Green

Blues With comparisons to blue sapphire, the wings of small blue Heath butterfly and the flax flower, the descriptions for Werner’s blue palette borrow from some of the more unusual parts of nature featuring deep and watery tones.

534C

2768C

7700C

654C

Scotch Blue

Prussian Blue

Indigo Blue

China Blue

7694C

7462C

7690C

7697C

Azure Blue

Ultramarine Blue

Flax flower Blue

Berlin Blue

7474C

7473C

5493C

Verditter Blue

Greenish Blue

Greyish Blue

Colours to be used as a guide when matching painted artwork

Purples With comparisons to porcelain jasper, plum, and the wings of the peacock butterfly, the descriptions for Werner’s purple palette mimic tones found in some of the richest and most striking elements of nature.

428C

5405C

533C

532C

Bluish Lilac Purple

Bluish Purple

Violet Purple

Pansy Purple

7667C

5265C

5115C

669C

Campanula Purple

Imperial Purple

Auricula Purple

Plum Purple

5305C

431C

7546C

Red Lilac Purple

Lavendar Purple

Pale Bluish Purple

Greys With comparisons to limestone, breast of the long tailed Hen Titmouse, and the bark of ash tree, the descriptions for Werner’s grey palette compare to some of the nature’s smokiest tones.

7535C

7537C

7538C

Ash grey

Smoke grey

French Grey

415C

452C

444C

Pearl Grey

Yellowish Grey

Bluish grey

5625C

446C

Greenish Grey

Blackish Grey

Browns With comparisons to mountain wood, hazelnuts and the light brown spots of the Guinea pig, the descriptions that form Werner’s brown palette borrow from some of the heartiest, earthy colours found in the natural world.

484C

7600C

4625C

7594C

Deep Orange-coloured Brown

Deep Reddish Brown

Umber Brown

Chesnut Brown

464C

465C

Black 4C

871C

Yellowish Brown

Wood Brown

Liver Brown

Hair Brown

7504C

7532C

412C

Broccoli Brown

Olive Brown

Blackish Brown

Blacks With comparisons to berry of deadly night shade, the largest black slug and basalt, the descriptions for Werner’s black palette borrow from some nature’s most shadowy and inky corners.

Black 7C

433C

5535C

Greyish Black

Bluish Black

Greenish Black

Black 2C

4975C

Black 6C

Pitch or Brownish Black

Reddish Black

Ink Black

532C

446C

Velvet Black

Whites With comparisons to French porcelain clay, the white of the human eyeball and white geraniums, the descriptions for this white palette borrow from some of the nature’s most delicate and creamy hues.

7534C

7528C

7527C

Snow White

Reddish White

Purplish White

454C

7500C

5807C

Yellowish White

Orange coloured White

Greenish White

7535C

5803C

Skimmed milk White

Greyish White

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Contacts: Maxine Lister - Head of Licensing m.lister@nhm.ac.uk Georgie Britton - Creative Development Manager g. britton@nhm.ac.uk The Natural History Museum Cromwell Road London SW7 5BD