In 1838, the art of watercolor painting was particularly popular among high society circles, but the choice of colors at attractive prices proved to be limited.

Chemist Carl Hornemann decided to change this and established his own production facility near Hanover, Germany. A gin distillery was nearby, where he obtained the distilled water needed for his ink production.

Over the centuries that followed, Pelikan gained a competitive advantage in the production of ink and watercolor, which continues to this day.