Johannes Itten - A Pioneer of Color and Form Johannes Itten, born in 1888 in the tranquil Swiss village of Südern-Linden, was more than just a painter; he was a visionary educator who fundamentally reshaped the landscape of modern art instruction. His journey began not within the hallowed halls of traditional art academies, but as an elementary school teacher—a formative experience that instilled in him a deep understanding of learnin…