Colour Tablets

The day began with a brief exchange with Sue Walker, who mentioned preparations for a children’s book and noted the rarity of specialists in chromolithography. We spoke of Michael Twyman’s enthusiasm and handwritten colour annotations, particularly moving to compare with my notes.

One proof in the Colour Tablets box features three sets of concentric circles at the base. Michael's annotations wondered whether these function as colour tablets; given their central alignment and target-like form, I suspect they also serve as registration marks.

The cards resemble decorative gift notes, with diagonal line groupings, floral motifs, and two pairs of children breaking through the image frame, creating a sense of layered depth. The circles include outer rings in gold, intermediates in red and blue, and centres in yellow, pink, and brown.

Among the most charming discoveries were six Famous Liebig cards (c. 1890–1930), all sharing a lush 13-colour palette. Skin tones range from soft grey and brown to complex overlays of blue, yellow, pink, and grey for darker complexions. Cheeks glow pink; eyes gleam with touches of blue. Figures — women, a bride, and men in military dress — represent diverse ethnicities, from Arab to Irish, Javanese to Hindu.

One landscape plate, likely from the same printer (Oberthür), uses a near-identical palette with subtle shifts: cooler greys and more neutral tones. Another variant introduces brighter greens and blues, a vivid yellow-pink, and muted sage greys.