Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Theory of Colours, first published in 1840. This edition published by Dover Publications, www.doverpublications.com
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Two of the most Historically Significant books on Color: Opticks and Theory of Colours
Any academic bibliography on color should begin with these two books.
A great scientist, physicist and mathematician writes about color:
Isaac Newton is known as one of the greatest scientists of all time. His pioneering work in the areas of color and light form the basis of today’s scientific understanding. What we understand today began here in the carefully described experiments documented in this text. Opticks was first published in 1704, but Newton’s work on the subject began in 1670.
Optiks is divided into three books:
Book I examines the phenomenon of the spectrum: Newton demonstrated that white light is composed of a spectrum of colors, and that each of those colors are primary or cannot be further divided into other colors. White light when shown through a prism is separated into a spectrum of colors and this is known as “refraction”. The same spectrum when transmitted through a second prism recombines into white light.
Book II describes the phenomena of refraction and of ring phenomenon. Refraction is a change in appearance as light is transmitted through different materials. Ring Phenomenon addresses concentric layers of color as they appear in the thin layer of air separating two glass plates, or on the surface of a bubble.
Book III discusses “diffraction”, which is the bending of light around corners. This is considered a hallmark of wave phenomenon and it is here that Newton first surmises that light is actually a wave.
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A German literary giant theorizes on color.
In 1810, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe published a 1,400 page treatise on color. Written in six parts, Theory of Colours challenges the theories established by Newton, and continues to explain the larger phenomena of color throughout life, as it appears in nature on plants, animals and minerals and in the design of objects. Goethe was really trying to write a kind of encyclopedia including all of the aspects of color imaginable.
He addresses both the psychology and the “moral associations” of color as well as its relation to “other pursuits” including philosophy, mathematics, psychology and even music; natural versus chemical colors; and the appropriate use of color throughout.
Apparently Goethe did not fully understand Newton’s experiments, so his work disproving Newton has been discredited. Where Goethe did make interesting progress is in his consideration of human perception and color. He understood that not only light affects color, but the individual’s ability to see must also be taken into consideration. Newton wrote of color and light and the human eye, but Goethe extended that process beyond the eye to the brain.
Overall this is an incredible testament to the understanding of color written in the literary master’s signature style, making it a pleasure to read.
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Sir Isaac Newton's Opticks, or, A Treatise of the reflections, refractions, inflections and colours of light, first published in 1703. This edition published by Prometheus Brooks, www.prometheusbooks.com
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Goethe begins his discussion of colour with the basics: black and white. Using simple graphic examples he explains the many ways in which the eye perceives the differences between stark contrasts. For example, the black circle on the left in figure 1 appears smaller than the white circle. Goethe uses such optical illusions to describe how color affects perception.
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Newton's book includes several illustrations of various experiments he performed in order to prove the physical behavior of light. This figure depicts an experiment which sets out to prove that the sun's light is composed of any number of colors compounded together. By holding a piece of paper at different distances and angles from a prism, the paper can be seen to be different colors.
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