Cruschiform's Colorama: A Sentimental Taxonomy of 133 Shades
French illustrator Marie-Laure Cruschi, known as Cruschiform, published 'Colorama' with Gallimard in 2017, winning the Premio Andersen 2018. The book presents 133 colors with poetic names like 'Chiaro di Luna' and 'Rosso Ferrari', each accompanied by an illustration and anecdote, avoiding industrial codes like Pantone. Cruschiform discusses her approach in an interview during a Milan exhibition at Institut Français and the launch of a card game. She explains her 'sentimental taxonomy' draws on historical color classification traditions dating to 1789, referencing scholars Michel Pastoreau and Annie Mollard-Desfour. The project took four years, balancing ludic, didactic, and poetic approaches. She selected colors based on anecdotal interest and diversity, narrowing from over 200 candidates. Her favorite color is 'glauco', a blue-gray-green shade evoking Mediterranean plants from her childhood in southern France.
Key facts
- Cruschiform is the pseudonym of Marie-Laure Cruschi.
- Colorama was published by Gallimard in 2017 and translated by L'Ippocampo.
- The book won the Premio Andersen 2018.
- It features 133 colors with names like Chiaro di Luna, Rosso Ferrari, and Rosa Fenicottero.
- The book includes a double index: one by chromatic scale, one thematic.
- Cruschiform cites historical color classification tools like the 1789 Cyanometer.
- She references scholars Michel Pastoreau and Annie Mollard-Desfour.
- The project took nearly four years to develop.
Entities
Artists
- Cruschiform
- Marie-Laure Cruschi
Institutions
- Gallimard
- L'Ippocampo
- Institut Français
- Premio Andersen
- Pantone
Locations
- Milan
- Italy
- France