William Benson’s important work on the nature of colour, produced to ‘help the artist devise endless varieties of beautiful arrangements of colour’. He also explores the influence of light on human perception. London: Chapman & Hall, 1868. First edition, second issue. Hardcover. 48pp. Illustrated with six black and white lithographs, four in-text illustrations of which two are hand-coloured, five hand-coloured pages with mounted circular samples. Original brown cloth with gilt emblem to cover, gilt titles to spine faded, red edges and marbled endpapers, prize bookplate to front pastedown (Science and Art Department of the Committee of Council on Education, School of Art Nottingham, Presented to Arthur Barnes, 1879). Slight loss to head of spine and a few marks to the cloth, corners bumped, light foxing throughout, text and colours are bright and vibrant. Overall, a very good copy of this beautiful work.