Theory of Colours

Name: Theory of Colours
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ISBN: 9780262570213

By: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, C.L. Eastlake (Translator)

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Paperback Published: 15th March 1970
ISBN: 9780262570213
Number Of Pages: 423
For Ages: 18+ years old

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By the time Goethe's Theory of Colours appeared in 1810, the wavelength theory of light and color had been firmly established. To Goethe, the theory was the result of mistaking an incidental result for an elemental principle. Far from pretending to a knowledge of physics, he insisted that such knowledge was an actual hindrance to understanding. He based his conclusions exclusively upon exhaustive personal observation of the phenomena of color. Of his own theory, Goethe was supremely confident: "From the philosopher, we believe we merit thanks for having traced the phenomena of colours to their first sources, to the circumstances under which they appear and are, and beyond which no further explanation respecting them is possible." Goethe's scientific conclusions have, of course, long since been thoroughly demolished, but the intelligent reader of today may enjoy this work on quite different grounds: for the beauty and sweep of his conjectures regarding the connection between color and philosophical ideas; for an insight into early nineteenth-century beliefs and modes of thought; and for the flavor of life in Europe just after the American and French Revolutions. The work may also be read as an accurate guide to the study of color phenomena. Goethe's conclusions have been repudiated, but no one quarrels with his reporting of the facts to be observed. With simple objects--vessels, prisms, lenses, and the like--the reader will be led through a demonstration course not only in subjectively produced colors, but also in the observable physical phenomena of color. By closely following Goethe's explanations of the color phenomena, the reader may become so divorced from the wavelength theory--Goethe never even mentions it--that he may begin to think about color theory relatively unhampered by prejudice, ancient or modern.

"Can you lend me The Theory of Colours for a few weeks? It is an important work. His latest things are insipid." Ludwig van Beethoven , Conversation-book, 1820

Introduction	p. v
Translator's Preface	p. xxvii
Preface to the First Edition of 1810	p. xxxvii
Introduction	p. li
Physiological Colours
Effects of Light and Darkness on the Eye	p. 2
Effects of Black and White Objects on the Eye	p. 5
Grey Surfaces and Objects	p. 14
Dazzling Colourless Objects	p. 16
Coloured Objects	p. 20
Coloured Shadows	p. 29
Faint Lights	p. 38
Subjective Halos	p. 40
Pathological Colours--Appendix	p. 45
Physical Colours
Dioptrical Colours	p. 59
Dioptrical Colours of the First Class	p. 60
Dioptrical Colours of the Second Class--Refraction	p. 74
Subjective Experiments	p. 80
Refraction without the Appearance of Colour	p. ib
Conditions of the Appearance of Colour	p. 81
Conditions under which the Appearance of Colour increases	p. 86
Explanation of the foregoing Phenomena	p. 90
Decrease of the Appearance of Colour	p. 100
Grey Objects Displayed by Refraction	p. 103
Coloured Objects Displaced by Refraction	p. 106
Achromatism and Hyperchromatism	p. 118
Advantages of Subjective Experiments--Transition to the Objective	p. 123
Objective Experiments	p. 125
Refraction without the Appearance of Colour	p. 127
Conditions of the Appearance of Colour	p. 128
Conditions of the Increase of Colour	p. 134
Explanation of the foregoing Phenomena	p. 139
Decrease of the Appearance of Colour	p. 141
Grey Objects	p. 142
Coloured Objects	p. 143
Achromatism and Hyperchromatism
Combination of Subjective and Objective Experiments	p. 147
Transition	p. 150
Catoprical Colours	p. 154
Paroptical Colours	p. 163
Epoptical Colours	p. 177
Chemical Colours
Chemical Contrast	p. 202
White	p. 203
Black	p. 205
First Excitation of Colour	p. 206
Augmentation of Colour	p. 212
Culmination	p. 214
Fluctuation	p. 217
Passage through the Whole Scale	p. 218
Inversion	p. 220
Fixation	p. 221
Intermixture, Real	p. 223
Intermixture, Apparent	p. 226
Communication, Actual	p. 230
Communication, Apparent	p. 235
Extraction	p. 237
Nomenclature	p. 242
Minerals	p. 245
Plants	p. 247
Worms, Insects, Fishes	p. 252
Birds	p. 259
Mammalia and Human Beings	p. 262
Physical and Chemical Effects of the Transmission of Light through Coloured Mediums	p. 266
Chemical Effect in Dioptrical Achromatism	p. 270
General Characteristics
The Facility with which Colour appears	p. 274
The Definite Nature of Colour	p. 276
Combination of the Two Principles	p. 277
Augmentation to Red	p. ib
Junction of the Two Augmented Extremes	p. 278
Completeness the Result of Variety in Colour	p. 279
Harmony of the Complete State	p. 280
Facility with which Colour may be made to rend either to the plus or minus side	p. 281
Evanescence of Colour	p. ib
Permanence of Colour	p. 282
Relation to Other Pursuits
Relation to Philosophy	p. 283
Relation to Mathematics	p. 286
Relation to the Technical Operations of the Dyer	p. 289
Relation to Physiology and Pathology	p. 291
Relation to Natural History	p. 292
Relation to General Physics	p. 293
Relation to the Theory of Music	p. 298
Concluding Observations on Terminology	p. 300
Effect of Colour with Reference to Moral Associations
Yellow	p. 306
Red-Yellow	p. 308
Yellow-Red	p. 309
Blue	p. 310
Red-Blue	p. 312
Blue-Red	p. 313
Red	p. ib
Green	p. 316
Completeness and Harmony	p. ib
Characteristic Combinations	p. 321
Yellow and Blue	p. 322
Yellow and Red	p. ib
Blue and Red	p. ib
Yellow-Red and Blue-Red	p. 323
Combination Non-Characteristic	p. 324
Relation of the Combinatons to Light and Dark	p. 325
Considerations derived from the Evidence of Experience and History	p. 326
Aesthetic Influence	p. 326
Chiaro-Scuro	p. 331
Tendency to Colour	p. 334
Keeping	p. 335
Colouring	p. 337
Colour in General Nature	p. ib
Colour of Particular Objects	p. 338
Characteristic Colouring	p. 339
Harmonius Colouring	p. 341
Genuine Tone	p. 342
False Tone	p. ib
Weak Colouring	p. 343
The Motley	p. 344
Dread of Theory	p. ib
Ultimate Aim	p. 345
Grounds	p. ib
Pigments	p. 348
Allegorical, Symbolical, Mystical Application of Colour	p. 350
Concluding Observations	p. 352
Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.

ISBN: 9780262570213
ISBN-10: 0262570211
Series: Theory of Colours
Audience: Professional
For Ages: 18+ years old
Format: Paperback
Language: English
Number Of Pages: 423
Published: 15th March 1970
Publisher: MIT Press Ltd
Country of Publication: US
Dimensions (cm): 19.8 x 13.2 x 3.3
Weight (kg): 0.52