19th-century Color Chart “Ratti Ernesto & C” – Turin -Italy
This late-19th-century colour chart by Ernesto Ratti (Turin, Italy) presents an exceptional example of industrial visual communication. Precisely printed and richly tinted, the chart showcases a systematic palette of hues designed for practical use in textile finishing or surface treatment. Each swatch is meticulously arranged and labelled, reflecting the era’s growing emphasis on colour standardisation and commercial reproducibility. Crafted in Turin—an early centre of Italian manufacturing and design—the chart bridges artistic intention and industrial need. Its elegant typography, distinctive small-format, and careful condition make it a valuable artifact of late-19th-century colour technology.
Technical Photography
Vintage color charts are invaluable tools for heritage scientists, offering concrete insight into the pigments used in a specific time and place.
This color chart is a printed advertising leaflet with some color illustrations (blue) in the text, including one of the factory; color sample sheets, with various types of shades applied in their respective spaces.
This color chart dates to the late 19th century, so modern pigments—such as cadmium-based colors—are absent. In fact, the infrared fluorescence (IRF) image appears completely dark.
However, techniques such as infrared (IR), reflected UV (UVR), and UV fluorescence (UVF) imaging can still provide useful preliminary information for pigment identification.
Scientific Art Examination – Resources:
Getty Conservation Institute (GCI) – USA
The British Museum – Scientific Research Department – UK
Scientific Research Department – The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA
C2RMF (Centre de Recherche et de Restauration des Musées de France) – France
Rijksmuseum – Science Department – Netherlands
