The Making of Iridescence in Natural History Drawings

Giulia Simonini, Ph.D.

By taking iridescence as a case study, the project ‘The Making of Iridescence in Natural History Drawings’ explores the significance of the use of colour in natural history drawings for the advancement of colour understanding in early modern natural history and colour theories. It intends to investigate the historical trajectory of iridescence by comparing, on the one hand, the shift of the status of iridescent colours among naturalists and natural philosophers from the mid-seventeenth century. And, on the other hand, to examine what role played the techniques implemented to emulate iridescence in coloured drawings in this shift.