Prismatic Utopia explores the practical, temporal, and spiritual uses of color in the Shaker community between 1790 and 1860.
Practical. The Enlightenment era saw major developments in color theory and pigment technology—from Isaac Newton’s Opticks to new pigments such as Prussian blue and chrome yellow, and the writings of thinkers including Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. This talk shows how the Shakers engaged with these ideas and embraced emerging color technologies.
Temporal. Shaker use of paint on buildings stood in contrast to surrounding 19th-century New England towns. Their writings carefully documented where color could be used, who applied it, and even the paint formulas themselves. Particular attention is given to Prussian blue and chrome yellow, colors that symbolically linked heaven and utility.
Spiritual. Light—and therefore color—appears throughout Shaker theology, songs, and art. Figures such as Ann Lee and theologian Calvin Green wrote of divine light and “beauteous colors,” while Shaker Gift Drawings used the same pigments found in their built world. The talk suggests that Shaker communities sought to create a physical utopia adorned in color—a true prismatic utopia, where heaven and earth reflect one another.
