Storied Colors

The Color Index An ongoing index, est. 2026

One color a day, told as it ought to be told: with its provenance, its chemistry, and the people who paid for it in poison.

This Week’s Specimens Curator’s notes · 3rd to 9th August

From the desk of the curator

Sepia

Mollusc · Warm · Dark

An ink drawn from the defensive sac of the cuttlefish, used by Roman scribes and synonymous in photography with the bygone past.

Read the story

Plate 206

No. 206 1937

Shocking
Pink

Synthetic · Cool · Mid

Elsa Schiaparelli's signature electric pink, named after the Cartier diamond it was matched to and forever associated with Surrealist fashion.

Read the story

Plate 222

No. 222 1916

Titanium
White

Synthetic · Cool · Saturated

The non-toxic 20th-century replacement for lead white, so opaque it accounts for most white paint, paper coatings and even sunscreen on Earth.

Read the story

Recent Acquisitions Six newest of 252 entries

The Collection at a Glance Browse all 252 →

096 005 175 184 224 111 154 100 147 153 214 085 040 237 151 044 067 226 131 116 023 058 252 094 016 167 124 234 227 188 187 179 202 038 205 242 233 123 122

+213 more

An occasional letter from the catalogue: new entries, contested attributions, the kind of thing that doesn't fit on a color page. Subscribe to be notified when the first issue ships.

Occasional · No advertising · Unsubscribe anytime

One color a day, told as it ought to be told: with its provenance, its chemistry, and the people who paid for it in poison.

From the desk of the curator

Sepia

Shocking Pink

Titanium White

An occasional letter from the catalogue: new entries, contested attributions, the kind of thing that doesn't fit on a color page. Subscribe to be notified when the first issue ships.

Shocking
Pink

Titanium
White