In his family home, Goethe engaged in alchemical experiments. During his law studies in Strasbourg, he also attended chemistry lectures. Throughout Goethe's life, there was a consistent interest and personal experimental involvement in the chemistry that was evolving into a science. He promoted chemistry by establishing the first chair of chemistry at the University of Jena and, as a minister, took care of setting up a chemical laboratory. Goethe documented experiments with yellow prussiate of potash and Berlin blue in his notebooks. He also reported on his attempts with dyes in plant extracts, the chemistry of which was only clarified in our century. Thus, Goethe became a self-experimenting chemist. His observations contributed to his theory of colors, which includes a dedicated chapter on chemical colors. Goethe successfully engaged chemical advisors like Göttling and Döbereiner in Jena and characterized chemistry with the words that it demonstrates the widest application and the most boundless influence on life. At the age of 78, he confessed: "The natural sciences, especially chemistry, are so lively that one becomes young again in the most pleasant way.".