Atlas Tsvetov [Atlas of Colours] | Атлас Цветов

Description:

Text Russian. Scarce. Efim Borisovich Rabkin (1906-1984) was a prominent Russian ophthalmologist and colour vision expert, known for his groundbreaking work in the field of colour perception. As the Director of the Ukrainian Hirschman Memorial Central Ophthalmic Institute and later a Professor at the Institute of Ophthalmology in Moscow, Rabkin was a pioneering figure in the study and clinical assessment of colour vision. His early development of colour vision tests, especially the Rabkin test, became a widely used diagnostic tool in ophthalmology and psychology during the mid-20th century.

This exceptional Atlas Tsvetov was produced by Rabkin to address perceived inadequacies in existing Russian colour classification systems. The atlas presents a new system, with nine basic colours, organizing them according to hue, lightness, and relative saturation. It includes carefully crafted overlays, cut-out sections, and a unique colour-analysis device (housed in a rear pocket), making it an invaluable tool for precise colour assessment. The atlas was influential in a variety of fields, including biology, mycology, archaeology, medicine, physiology, and ophthalmology.

As an intricately produced reference, this colour atlas set a new standard for the study of colour in scientific and medical contexts, offering a thorough and systematic approach to colour classification. Its scarcity today, coupled with its historical importance, makes it an important acquisition for collectors of medical, scientific, and ophthalmological literature.

Condition

8vo (225x168mm), orig. cloth, gilt title to front board and spine. Small typescript label with English title pasted to title page. Withdrawn from the library of the Commonwealth Mycological Institute, with neat ink stamp to endpaper only.