Werner's Nomenclature of Colours : Adapted to Zoology, Botany, Chemistry, Minerology, Anatomy and the Arts

About the book

First published in 1814, Werner's Nomenclature of Colours is a taxonomic guide to colour which been cherished by naturalists and anthropologists for over two centuries. 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. 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 was an indispensable tool during his seminal voyage on the Beagle. Werner's Nomenclature of Colours is a charming artefact from the age of explorers, which continues to be treasured by artists and scientists alike.

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'This is a fascinating historic document that grabs the attention much more than you would expect.' The Artist

Patrick Syme Biography

Patrick Syme (1774–1845) was a Scottish flower-painter.

Life

Syme was born in Edinburgh on 17 September 1774, and educated there. In the Scottish public exhibitions, which began in 1808, his flower-pieces were much admired.In 1803 Syme took up his brother's practice as a drawing-master, and concentrated on teaching. He was one of the associate artist members of the Royal Institution. He was also prominent in the foundation of the Scottish Academy, occupying the chair at the first meeting in May 1826, and becoming one of the council of four appointed there to manage its affairs.Towards the end of his life Syme was art master at Dollar Academy. He died at Dollar, Clackmannanshire, in July 1845. He is buried in the parish churchyard the grave lying in the upper north-west section.

Works

If best known as a flower-painter, Syme painted portraits, and made natural history drawings of natural history. He published: Practical Directions for Learning Flower Drawing (1810) A translation of Abraham Gottlob Werner's Nomenclature of Colours (1814) Treatise on British Song Birds (1823).

Family

Syme married Elizabeth Boswell of Balmuto daughter of Claud Irvine Boswell, Lord Balmuto, the judge. She had been his pupil since about 1810, the couple eloped in 1822, and her family's disapproval of the match was permanent. John Thomas Irvine Boswell the botanist was their son.

Notes

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