Experiments on Colour Changes at the Accademia del Cimento

The Cimento academicians investigated the colour change of liquids treated with acids and alkali. These experiments were carried out after the release of works revealing the trade secrets of dyers and other craftsmen working with colours e.g. Antonio Neri's 'L'Arte Vetraria' (1612)) and, interestingly, before the publication of Robert Boyle's 'Experiments and Considerations Touching Colours' (1664). Moreover, though the dedicated chapter in 'Saggi di naturali esperienze' (1667) is rather short and understudied, a marginal gloss hints that many more similar experiments were carried out and intended for publishing separately. This essay aims to contextualise their experimental agenda on colour change within its historical framework, to present the sorts of test they investigated, including the unpublished material, and what kind of conclusions can be drawn about their work on this subject matter. [Publisher's text]