author
Emily Noyes Vanderpoel
1842–1939
Best known for her remarkably modern book Color Problems (1902), she explored color with a mix of artist’s intuition and careful analysis. She was also a painter, collector, and generous supporter of preserving local history.
2 Audiobooks
Color problems : A practical manual for the lay student of color
by Emily Noyes Vanderpoel
American lace & lace-makers
by Emily Noyes Vanderpoel
About the author
Born in New York City in 1842, Emily Noyes Vanderpoel was an American artist, writer, and philanthropist. She studied art with Robert Swain Gifford and William Sartain, married John Aaron Vanderpoel in 1865, and later became closely associated with preserving the history of her family and community.
Her best-known work, Color Problems: A Practical Manual for the Lay Student of Color, appeared in 1902. The book broke down objects, textiles, flowers, and artworks into measured color grids, giving readers a practical way to think about balance, harmony, and visual effect. Long before this approach became widely familiar, she was treating color almost like data while still writing for general readers.
Vanderpoel also helped save and restore the Tallmadge house in Litchfield, Connecticut, turning her interest in the past into a lasting public contribution. She died in 1939, but her work has continued to attract attention for the way it connects art, design, and early color theory.