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How did James Clerk Maxwell demonstrate an early colour photograph in 1861?

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A circular RYB color wheel divided into twelve segments, showing a progression of colors from red, orange, and yellow to green, blue, and violet. — colour The RYB color model is being illustrated on a color wheel.

In 1861, James Clerk Maxwell demonstrated what is widely considered the first color photograph by utilizing the principles of the RGB color model.

To create the image, Maxwell requested that photographer Thomas Sutton take three separate black-and-white photographs of a Scottish tartan ribbon. Each photograph was captured through a different colored lens filter: red, green, and blue.

To display the final result, the three resulting images were printed on glass and projected simultaneously onto a wall during a lecture. This additive process—combining light filtered through the three primary colors—demonstrated that a full range of colors could be reproduced from these components, providing the foundational technique for modern color photography.12