Inessential Colors: Architecture on Paper in Early Modern Europe

Architectural drawings of the Italian Renaissance were mostly in black and white, but from the seventeenth century to the nineteenth century, polychromy in architectural representation grew and flourished. Basile Baudez argues that colors appeared on paper when architects adapted the pictorial tools of imitation, cartographers' natural signs, military engineers' conventions, and painters' affective goals to communicate with a broad public. Inessential Colors traces the use of color in European architectural drawings and prints, revealing how this phenomenon reflected the professional anxieties of an emerging professional practice that was simultaneously art and science. It challenges the long-standing misreading of architectural drawings as illustrations rather than representations, pointing instead to their inherent qualities as independent objects whose beauty paved the way for the visual system architects use today.

Format: Hardback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 21 December 2021
Publisher: Princeton University Press

Architectural drawings of the Italian Renaissance were predominantly devoid of color, but from the seventeenth century to the nineteenth, the use of polychromy in architectural representation experienced a significant growth and flourishing. Basile Baudez suggests that the introduction of colors into architectural drawings occurred as architects adapted various pictorial tools, including imitation, cartography, military engineering conventions, and painterly techniques, to communicate with a broader public.

In his book "Inessential Colors," Baudez explores the use of color in European architectural drawings and prints, shedding light on how this phenomenon reflected the professional anxieties of an emerging profession that straddled art and science. The book traverses national borders, examining color as a crucial factor in the long history of rivalry and exchange between European architectural traditions. It features a wealth of previously unpublished drawings, challenging the conventional understanding of architectural drawings as mere illustrations rather than independent objects with their own inherent beauty.

Through his meticulous research, Baudez demonstrates how architects employed colors to convey specific meanings, evoke emotions, and establish connections with their audience. He argues that colors emerged as a means of expanding the expressive potential of architectural drawings, allowing architects to communicate complex ideas and concepts more effectively. The book also highlights the role of color in shaping architectural aesthetics and design, as architects sought to create visually appealing and harmonious spaces that reflected the cultural and social values of their time.

Inessential Colors offers a fresh perspective on the history of architectural representation, challenging the conventional understanding of architectural drawings as mere illustrations. It emphasizes the inherent qualities of architectural drawings as independent objects with their own beauty, which paved the way for the visual system architects use today. The book is a valuable resource for scholars, architects, and anyone interested in the art and science of architectural design.

Weight: 1602g
Dimension: 302 x 237 x 26 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780691213569