Both Robert Ridgway and his younger brother, John, were considerably talented as painters of bird portraits, and they executed drawings for the color plates of such distinguished books as Fisher's "Hawks and Owls of the United States." As a boy, Robert mixed his own paints in his father's drugstore in Illinois, and he soon became deeply interested in the subject of color. He early saw the need, especially for the use of naturalists who must be able to describe species of plants and animals with unmistakable accuracy, for a standardization of colors and color terms.
To this problem he devoted his serious attention, and in 1886 he was able to bring out his first work on the subject-"A Nomenclature of Color for Naturalists." In this he presented 10 plates showing 186 named colors in small rectangles. The value of the work was apparent to all concerned, and its reception encouraged him to continue his color studies.
It was 25 years, however, before he was ready with the new and enlarged edition of his color book. This was entitled "Color Standards and Color Nomenclature," and in it were illustrated 1,115 named colors, for which he had scientifically mixed the pigments himself according to standard proportions worked out by him and published in the book in tabular form.
This book became widely used not only by naturalists but also by paint manufacturers, chemists, florists, and artists. It found many commercial and industrial uses, and although other and more modern color standards have since been published, Ridgway's was a pioneer work and has never been entirely superseded. Among naturalists it is still the "color bible." It made Ridgway's name known far outside of ornithological circles and constituted perhaps his most important contribution to science.
1846 was an important year in American national history, for it was the year that Congress on Capitol Hill decided what was to be done with James Smithson's $500,000 bequest to the United States of America.
The first hundred years of the Smithsonian Institute have seen great things, but somehow time opens rather than closes the vistas to fresh fields of knowledge. Every gap that is closed seems to open up new and greater unknowns in man's feeble efforts to understand the universe. Certainly, in its second century, there will be no lack of opportunity for the Smithsonian to continue to serve mankind in the way that James Smithson dreamed.
David is the author of many articles including Best Friend Quotes and also the author of Best life quotes
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