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The article observes the use of the term ‚colourful‘ (‚bunt‘) around 1900 by first looking at reviews of International Art Exhibitions towards the end of the 19th century in Germany. It becomes clear that the colourful in art is pejoratively evaluated as attention-seeking and commercial, and thus established as the ‚other‘ in contrast to the desired high cultural norm. Something similar can also be observed for coloured reproductions after artworks, which are devalued as inferior and crude. However, it is striking that vulgar colourfulness is tolerated in its constitution as the ‚other‘, be it among art of Italian or Spanish artists at the International Exhibitions, as well as with children and non-art-historical prints. Furthermore, the article presents how a certain habituation to colourfulness occurred after 1900.