Mary Gartside: Colour Theory in Amorphous Beauty
"The genius of women have all too often been plotted by cultural history" – Kelly Grovier, "The Women Who Redefined Colour" (BBC, 2022)
Women in art history are often overlooked, unacknowledged, or simply forgotten.
Such is the case for Mary Gartside.
Little is known of Gartside's life, but thanks to Dr. Alexandra Loske and her book, Mary Gartside c.1755-1819: Abstract Visions of Colour, along with a growing interest in colour theory and its history, we can better understand Gartside's significance in both art and colour theory.
She embodied the well-educated woman's pastimes in the 18th and 19th centuries. She was a flower painter, a watercolourist, and she taught drawing and watercolour painting to her fellow well-educated women.
She also established herself as a colour theorist.
Her four publications between 1804-1808 hold the same value as her contemporaries, such as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's (1749-1832) On the Doctrine of Colours (1810) and Moses Harris's (1730-1785) Natural System of Colours (c.1769-76/1811). Yet, her works are rarely mentioned in the context of colour theory history.
Mary Gartside was likely the first woman to publish on colour theory; however, she initially presented it under the guise of a painting manual.
An Essay on Light and Shadow (c.1804)
Gartside's first publication was a 12-page pamphlet titled An Essay on Light and Shadow, likely published around 1804. This marked the known beginning of her journey as a published author on artistic techniques. The pamphlet did not include any colour illustrations or approaches to colouring.
An Essay on Light and Shade, On Colours, and on Composition in General (1805)
At the time of Gartside's 1805 book, An Essay on Light and Shade, on Colours, and on Composition in General, there was a growing interest in publication reflecting Enlightenment and Romantic ideals of beauty, science, and art. Colour, famously associated with Sir Isaac Newton's Opticks (1704), was becoming an interdisciplinary study linking art and science.
Figure 1: Title page of Mary Gartside's, An Essay on Light and Shade, On Colours, and on Composition in General, 1805
Image Credit: Heidelberg University Library, Online Database
Gartside dedicates the book humbly to her students, downplaying her expertise. Her aim was to explain fundamental principles — light, shade, colour, proportion, and perspective — through "the veiled language of flower painting", avoiding romanticised notions or overly complex scientific details.
This book includes 54 pages, 2 plates, 2 tables, and 8 hand-painted abstract colour blots in watercolour. The colour blots represent: White; Yellow; Orange; Green; Scarlet; Blue; Violet; Crimson.
These colour blots are some of the earliest known examples of colour abstraction in the 19th century and are central to Gartside's exploration of colour theory.
Figures 2-5: White/Yellow/Orange/Green, Watercolour and Gouache on Laid Paper
Image Credit: Dr Alexandra Loske
The blots appear amorphous— shapeless and fluid in form– but their beauty contrasts with the precise theoretical function they serve. While they might look casual or unstructured, Gartside's intention is clear: to illustrate how tints harmonise, and contrast based on brightness and tone.
Figures 6-9: Scarlet/Blue/Violet/Crimson, Watercolour and Gouache on Laid Paper
Image Credit: Dr Alexandra Loske
She also draws on Goethe's ideas by acknowledging the impact of darkness on colour perception, blending her own focus on brightness with his emphasis on the interplay of light and shadow. This shows her deep understanding of the physical, aesthetic, and psychological approaches and applications of colour theory.
Frederic Schmid encapsulates the essence of Gartside's colour blots:
Strange as it sounds, these plates with their formless mass of dabs of colours ranging through the whole scale of prismatic colours and their mixtures, are of a fascinating beauty.
Interestingly, Gartside never directly acknowledges the blots in her 1805 book. Instead, they serve as a hidden, beautiful surprise for analysis at the end, inviting the viewer to reflect more deeply on their significance after reading her book.
An Essay on a New Theory of Colours, and on Composition in General (1808)
In An Essay on a New Theory of Colours, and on Composition in General, Gartside confidently acknowledges her role in colour theory, reflecting a growing self-assurance in her educational writing. By labelling it a "new theory" and expanding on her 1805 work, she elevates both the practical and theoretical elements of artistic techniques. She finally acknowledges herself within the canon of philosophical and practical literature on colour.
Figure 10: Title page of Mary Gartside's, An Essay on a New Theory of Colours, and on Composition in General, 1808
Image Credit: Getty Research Institute via Internet Archive
Gartside included a colour circle in her 1805 and 1808 works, complete with a written passage underneath. This vibrant circle is a fascinating parallel to the "Colour Wheel" we know today, connecting her work to the modern understanding of colour in a way that feels both innovative and familiar.
Figure 11: "Colour Circle/Ball," from, An Essay on a New Theory of Colours, and on Composition in General, 1808
Image Credit: Getty Research Institute via Internet Archive
The colour "ball," as Gartside refers to it, is hand-painted with vibrant watercolours–yellow, orange, red, purple, dark blue, blue, and green. She humorously notes that "colours arranged in circles in a picture would be very ridiculous," since its purpose is merely to show "colours in respect to the others, not that there should be entire circles of them". She emphasises that this circle should serve as a guide for artists to understand colour relationships in nature. Her playful tone keeps the writing engaging, balancing light-heartedness with instruction.
Gartside also finally acknowledges her amorphous colour blots, what they represent and how they can be used.
…each blot is a group of flowers; but must at the same time observe, that they have not been formed with the most distinct idea of their being examples, in respect to the contour of flowers. They are merely compact blots of colours, exhibiting the effect produced by arranging them according to the theory delivered by the foregoing pages; and as such, I shall endeavour to explain the principles of their formation, by which they may be useful to the student of painting.
Figure 12: Crimson, Watercolour, Gouache, and Ink on Laid Paper
Image Credit: Getty Research Institute via Internet Archive
While it is difficult to identify the exact pigments used for the blots, Gartside provides instructions to achieve specific colours and includes a table of pigment gradation with contemporary pigment names.
Figure 13: Table I: Prismatic Colours, from Mary Gartside's, An Essay on a New Theory of Colours, and on Composition in General, Engraving with Hand-Colouring
Image Credit: Getty Research Institute via Internet Archive
Figure 14: Table II: Compound Tints of a second Order, composed from the pure Prismatic Compounds, from Mary Gartside's, An Essay on a New Theory of Colours, and on Composition in General, Engraving with Hand-Colouring
Image Credit: Getty Research Institute via Internet Archive
In addition, Gartside lists pigments she recommends for the artist's palette, such as Prussian Blue, Red Lead, Vermillion, Ultramarine, and Ochres and Earths (Carmine and Gamboge). She even mentions "Liquid Purple," which is likely a blend of pigments.
Each blot in this edition is accompanied by detailed instructions on how to use pigments to represent various flowers corresponding to the lettered areas (see Figure 12). Gartside correlates specific pigments with floral examples, such as:
White = White Wild Roses
Yellow = Yellow Roses
Orange = Common Nasturtium
Scarlet = Poppies, Anemones, Ranunculi, Tulips
Green = Ivy, Grapes (vines), Ferns
Blue = Convolvulus
Crimson = Blue or Purple Rose
Violet = Common Crocus
This structured approach not only guides the artist but also helps the reader visualise her colour theory and artistic methodology.
As Loske notes, Gartside was a true "pioneer of abstract art" with her "wondrous, amorphous, freely painted colour blots". Kelly Grovier adds that these blots are "more metaphors for the resplendence of roses than roses themselves" and "served a paradoxically precise theoretical function that belies their amorphous beauty". These stunning works highlight not only Gartside's mastery of colour theory, but also her artistic brilliance. Though time may have forgotten her, Gartside's work embodies the remarkable artistic gift she offered women of the 19th century.
This edition was advertised as a three-part series on colour and composition on various genres of art, but, unfortunately, that never came to fruition. Despite this, the legacy of her groundbreaking work continues to inspire.
Ornamental Groups, Descriptive of Flowers, Birds, Shells, Fruit, Insects, etc., and Illustrative of a New Theory of Colouring (1808)
Mary Gartside's final publication, "Ornamental Groups, Descriptive of Flowers, Birds, Shells, Fruit, Insects, etc., and Illustrative of a New Theory of Colouring," showcases the practical application of her colour theory in detailed and realistic compositions. The book contains 22 etched plates created using aquatint and hand-colouring.
Figure 15: Composition of Flowers (Seventeenth Group), from Mary Gartside's, Ornamental Groups (1811), Aquatint with Hand-Colouring, Printed by Robert and Daniel Havell
Image Credit: David Kelly Crow via Princeton University Library Database
What makes this work unique is that Gartside includes imperfect examples, which contrasts with the prevailing ideas of the picturesque and sublime in art and design. For instance, she notes:
With a little more judgement, this design might have presented a much superior appearance; whereas the want of it has occasioned a flatness or deficiency of rising in the separate parts from the ground on which they are thrown.
This publication therefore serves as a comprehensive guide for mastering watercolour painting, offering practical advice on what to do and what to avoid. Gartside stresses the importance of harmony and beauty, drawing on William Hogarth's Analysis of Beauty (1753), further highlighting her extensive knowledge of scholarship on art, aesthetics, and perspective.
Ornamental Groups was also presented as a companion piece to An Essay on a New Theory of Colours. Due to the higher quality of the prints, the publishers released it on a subscription basis. The book lists 193 subscribers, indicating that about 200 copies were likely made.
Conclusion
Engaging in watercolour painting allowed Gartside to pursue additional goals, including acquiring scientific knowledge and building a professional career in the arts. Her publications examine how women navigated scientific and aesthetic theories whilst adhering to socially defined roles, such as drawing and watercolour painting. By focusing on these artistic endeavours, she created a socially acceptable pathway for 19th-century women to engage in intellectual pursuits.
In an era when women's contributions to science and art were often dismissed and overlooked, Mary Gartside quietly revolutionised our understanding of colour — one beautiful amorphous watercolour blot at a time.
Mary Gartside’s "An Essay on Light and Shade" (1805) and "An Essay on A New Theory of Colours" (1808) were both recently on display at the Tate Britain's new exhibition "Now You See Us: Women Artists in Britain 1520-1920." Both publications can also be found in the National Art Library at the Victoria & Albert Museum, London. "Ornament Groups" (1808) can be found in the Wellcome Collection and Royal College of Art, London.
Sources
Bermingham, Ann. Learning to Draw: Studies in the Cultural History of a Polite and Useful Art, 2000.
Cianci, Lisa. Colour Theory: Understanding and Working with Colour. Melbourne, Australia: RMIT University, 2023 https://rmit.pressbooks.pub/colourtheory1/front-matter/introduction-what-is-colour-theory/.
Gartside, Mary. An Essay on Light and Shade, on Colours, and on Composition in General, 1805 https://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/gartside1805/.
An Essay on a New Theory of Colours, and on Composition in General. 2nd ed., 1808 https://archive.org/details/gri_33125015119437/page/n77/mode/2up?q=ball.
Ornamental Groups, Descriptive of Flowers, Birds, Shells, Fruit, Insects, &, and Illustrative of a New Theory of Colouring, 1808.
Grovier, Kelly. “The Women Who Redefined Colour.” www.bbc.com, April 13, 2022 https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20220401-the-women-who-redefined-colour.
Litts, Joseph. “A Symphony of Color [Theory] in Mary Gartside’s Essay on Light and Shade,” n.d. https://sites.udel.edu/materialmatters/2019/04/29/a-symphony-of-color-theory-in-mary-gartsides-essay-on-light-and-shade/.
Loske, Alexandra. Mary Gartside C.1755-1819: Abstract Visions of Colour, 2024.
Schmid, Frederic. "The Color Circles by Moses Harris," The Art Bulletin, vol. XXX, no. 3, September 1948, pp. 227-30 https://doi.org/10.1080/00043079.1948.11407816.
