The Logic of Color: Theory and Graphics in Christine Ladd-Franklin's Explanation of Color Vision

In the years after 1870, two theories of color vision vied for primacy: the "trichromatic" theory and a four-color theory, also known as an "opponent" theory of color vision. Among scientists who participated in this debate, mathematician Christine Ladd-Franklin (1847-1930) made...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Leonardo (Oxford) 2014-04, Vol.47 (2), p.151-157
Main Author: Kargon, Jeremy
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Academic libraries
Atomic theory
Color vision
Colors
Debate
Graphics
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
Molecules
Physiology
Symbolism
Visual perception
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Summary:In the years after 1870, two theories of color vision vied for primacy: the "trichromatic" theory and a four-color theory, also known as an "opponent" theory of color vision. Among scientists who participated in this debate, mathematician Christine Ladd-Franklin (1847-1930) made special use of graphics as a rhetorical template for reasoning and explanation. Her later work included figures modeled upon novel graphic representations of logical relationships to describe chemical reactions fundamental to visual processes. These and other illustrations demonstrate, in retrospect, how innovation in graphic notation can underlie shifts in the practice and perception of science.
ISSN:0024-094X
1530-9282
DOI:10.1162/LEON_a_00517