Modern Chromatics

Ogden Rood, an American physicist at Columbia published a treatise on color theory that specifically addressed the new synthetic pigments. His text became a reference for Impressionist and Neo-Impressionist painters. Rood, however, did not appreciate his role in their work and is quoted as saying “If that is all I have done for art, I wish I had never written that book!” In his preface he endeavors to “prevent ordinary persons, critics, and even painters from talking and writing about colours in a loose, inaccurate and not always rational manner.”