See more objects with the tag squares, Bauhaus, color theory, offset lithograph, color harmony, color interaction.

Object Timeline

  • We acquired this object.

1963

  • Work on this object began.

2018

2025

  • You found it!

Bookplate, Interaction of Color

This is a bookplate. It was written by Josef Albers and published by Yale University Press.

This object is not part of the Cooper Hewitt's permanent collection. It was able to spend time at the museum on loan from Smithsonian Libraries and Archives as part of Saturated: The Allure and Science of Color.

It is dated 1963. Its medium is offset lithograph on paper.

In this color exercise, Albers demonstrates the phenomenon of after-image, more specifically, reversed after- image. After staring at the image on the left for thirty seconds and shifting your gaze to the center of the white square, the diamond shapes are seen in yellow rather than the expected after-image complement, blue.

It is credited Smithsonian Libraries, ND1489 .A33.

  • Drawing, Package Design
  • brush and gouache, watercolor, silver and gold paint, graphite on white wove....
  • Gift of University of California, Los Angeles.
  • 1973-15-58

Our curators have highlighted 3 objects that are related to this one.

Its dimensions are

H x W: 30.5 × 51 cm (12 in. × 20 1/16 in.)

This object was previously on display as a part of the exhibition Saturated: The Allure and Science of Color.

There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian’s Terms of Use page.

If you would like to cite this object in a Wikipedia article please use the following template:

<ref name=CH>{{cite web |url=https://www-4.collection.cooperhewitt.org/objects/1108749943/ |title=Bookplate, Interaction of Color |author=Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum |accessdate=6 February 2025 |publisher=Smithsonian Institution}}</ref>