It was named in the mid-19th century by a young chemist who was trying to produce a synthetic version of a medicine. Not only was it chosen as the title for a biography of that chemist, it also came to label an entire decade, on the basis of an artist's remark. Today rather unpopular, although it does play a special role in the theater, it is associated in medicine with certain genetically-transmitted conditions. What is it, what decade is called by it, and who was that artist?

ceetee

The chemist was William Perkin The substance was "mauve" The decade was the 1890s and the artist was James Whistler who claimed that "Mauve is pink trying to be purple" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauve I found a link that deals with the genetics of bird colours http://www.angelfire.com/ak/whisperingwings/page4a.html so I'll leave that with you as fulfilling the "genetically transmitted condition." The connection with the theatre I'll leave to the Thespians. May 29 06, 7:21 PM

lanfranco

Actually, ceetee, you found precisely the right site, so a yay to you! Near the bottom of that site, you'll find that "mauve" is used in theater lighting to create the effect of a sunset. The site also provides a link to "malveria" (from "mauve factor," aka "pyroluria"), a metabolic condition associated with several illnesses. May 29 06, 7:39 PM