Art, Science and the Business of Photographic Colour

Abstract

Photography was always concerned with colour, but not in the way we perhaps think of it. This talk from the Creative Innovation Across Disciplines Seminar series will consider the changing meaning of ‘colour’ in the history of photography, from Sir John Herschel's 1840s experiments on light wavelengths and vegetable matter to the 1950s and 60s photo analysis photography (and films) pioneered by Fritz Brill. Far from being a stable subject, this talk will also address the problematic nature of developing such a research topic, its genesis and forward direction in the three disciplines of history of science, photographic history and business history.

Biography

Kelley Wilder is Director of the Photographic History Research Centre  and Interim Director of the Institute of Art and Design at De Montfort University, Leicester. She is the author of numerous books and articles on photography, archives and science, most recently with Gregg Mitman, Documenting the World: Film, Photography and the Scientific Record (Chicago 2016). Current projects include ‘Performing Science in a Photographic Age’ and ‘Photography and the Aniline Dye Industry’.

Further information

This seminar will be hosted by Professor Anthony Kent, Professor of Fashion Marketing.

Attendance at the event is free. For any queries, please contact Professor Anthony Kent.

Image credit: Photographie und Wissenschaft, Advertisement for Agfacolor, 1961 back cover.