Red, white and black were the only recognized colors for centuries. The diversity of pink hues is the result of adding or subtracting yellow and blue tones from a wide spectrum of colors. Thanks to this study, which is certain to become a classic, blue will never look the same again. The History of the Color Orange: From Tomb Paintings to Modern-Day Jumpsuits. The first color wheel was presented by Sir Isaac Newton in the 17th century when he first discovered the visible spectrum of light. It is a fascinating and entertaining story about a simple color and the cultures and societies that impacted it throughout Western history. Directions. Happy Women's History Month! Paleolithic artists’ work seen on walls of caves as well as earliest recorded evidence shows the use of stone plates for grinding and mixing powders and naturally occurring earth pigments of iron and manganese. 20 New Books on Women’s History. The author does a fine job illustrating the second claim throughout the book, showing how attitudes towards colors change over time with changes in religious belief and social practices. And actually, that's why Navy blue was picked up, because the … Blue was first produced by the ancient Egyptians who figured out how to create a permanent pigment that they used for decorative arts. If you like history (yes) and if you love blue (yes), then this book should be on your shelves. The History of the Color Blue: From Ancient Egypt to the Latest Scientific Discoveries. Originally the pigment was so expensive so as to only be afforded by kings, emperors, and the church hierarchy. As I recall, one factoid was that the popularity of black and white for men's clothing, still epitomized in the tuxedo, came from sumptuary laws that restricted wealthy merchants to those colors. So, even a computer can have a hard time identifying the shade. I'm still not sure how or when blue went from being a unconsidered, un-respected color to being the most popular color in the Western world, but perhaps that is one of the things that can never be fully known considering social. Pink is for boys and blue is for girls. After writing his 1972 thesis about heraldic bestiaries in the Middle Ages, he worked in the coins, medals and antiquities department of the French National Library until 1982. The Indigo dye for a deep, rich, vibrant blue was too expensive to ship from the middle east. I do wish it were formatted in a standard book form vs. the "coffee table" size and shape, it made it awkward to read and I couldn't take it with me. Beijing 100016, P.R. Blue gained new favor as a royal color in the twelfth century and became a formidable political and military force during the French Revolution. Nice book - very interesting and beautifully done. So fascinating! Blue hasn't always meant what we (in the US) associate it with now. One of the undisputedly good things about modern scholarship is that women’s history is finally getting its due.... To see what your friends thought of this book, Argh! Oxfordshire, OX20 1TR Not only it goes back to the ancient roots of blue, it also covers its entire history until today. October 1st 2001 Unit 2702, NUO Centre Around this time, color was thought to be a product of the mixing of light and dark, with red being the “most light”, and blue the “most dark”. Share Pin. Blue was helped along by being unregulated... a lack of sumptuary laws regarding who could wear it, or how it could be used symbolically in art. Fascinating and very approachable for a lay audience. Rose Heichelbech. Beautifully illustrated, Blue tells the intriguing story of our favorite color and the cultures that have hated it, loved it, and made it essential to some of our greatest works of art. It is a metaphor for the eternal struggle between the haves and have-nots. It is for this reason perhaps that people often describe the color blue as calm and serene. The tradition originated with the Gullah in Georgia and South Carolina.The ceiling of the slave quarters at the Owens–Thomas House in Savannah, Georgia, built in the early nineteenth century, were painted haint blue. Blue has had a long and topsy-turvy history in the Western world. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. Blue-collar worker. Loria's investigation includes the origins of the word blue, and suggests that perception did not exist before there was a word to describe it. It wasn't until the last 700 years that blue because valued; the rise of New World indigo helped a lot too. As people began to associate blue with the Virgin Mary, the color became a powerful element in church decoration and symbolism. While this book is full of pictures, it is very imformative. fascinating; did you know Europeans never wore blue until the Middle Ages or later? What was most surprising was that blue was ignored as a color for thousands of years. Blue gained new favor as a royal color in the twelfth century and became a formidable political and military force during the French Revolution. The Egyptians prized all … You can’t get enough of it in your life, and you enjoy combining any number of shades in your decorating, your wardrobe, and … As I recall, one factoid was that the popularity of black and white for men's clothing, st. Overall I enjoyed this book, though I do have a fascination for the development of color and the way we use and manufacture it so it would have to be rather bad for me to at least not be interested in it. His section on Vermeer is an example. Purple came from sea urchins and blue from lapis rocks. The History of the Color Blue: Ancient Egypt Uncovered a Color That Couldn’t Be Seen If you’re like many, you love the many shades of blue. I think you have to like history and/or art. There is ample evidence that the structure of color perception. Princeton, New Jersey 08540 Today, most people prefer blue to any other color. In this fascinating history, the renowned medievalist Michel Pastoureau traces the changing meanings of blue from its rare appearance in prehistoric art to its international ubiquity today. Color theory during this time revolves around the idea that there are three primary colors—i.e., red, blue, and yellow—and that these three colors, when mixed together in … Almost my favorite art book! The History of the Color Red: From Ancient Paintings to Louboutin Shoes. He included indigo, the hue between blue and violet, as one of the separate colours, though today it is usually considered a hue of blue. Phone: +1 609 258 4900 Pastoureau investigates how the ever-changing role of blue in society has been reflected in manuscripts, stained glass, heraldry, clothing, paintings, and popular culture. This was an interesting book, a new way of looking at a color and it's social development. With sidelights on the economic battle between woad and madder (red) dyers, Protestant austerity and blue, Young Werther's blue coat and yellow. Many medieval artists preferred to depict water as green rather than blue. How, when it was so rare throughout history, did blue come to be the most common color in the world today? I always enjoy Pastoureau's lavishly illustrated books about the history of color--this one traces blue, neglected by the ancient world in favor of white, red and black, associated with barbarians because of woad and indigo, but rehabilitated by Saint-Denis' decorating scheme and elevated to the signature color of the Virgin Mary and the French monarchy. Alice Bucknell. The rise of blue's prevalence in heraldry, paintings, and cloth, from the 11th century, was a profound shift. And biological facts, like genetic color deficiencies, surely affect the "meaning" of colors for those with the deficiencies. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published EVANSTON, Ill. --- Fifteen years ago, Northwestern University scientist Marc Walton was turned on to blue when two basic facts struck him: blue was the first man-made pigment, and the word “blue” didn’t come into existence until many years later. The color of haint blue doesn’t have a huge following up North and even its Southern roots doesn’t mean that people agree on what it is. The ancients hardly used it or talked about it, except at times in Egypt. Unlikely as it seems, this coffee table book was a fascinating look at how blue came to be the most popular color among artists and in society, and taught me for the first time that there were sumptuary laws in various nations at various times designed to restrict the type and color of clothing commoners could wear so they didn't compete with the raiment of royalty. Why did the color blue become associated with the Virgin? Many medieval artists preferred to depict water as green rather than blue. For example red was made from madder, a rusty red, and was the most common with yellow and black till the middle ages? Who would have thought that the color blue was not only hated but not named, or tolerated until the 14th century. I think he really goes to far with some of his conclusions especially based off of the sources he uses –– but it was really interesting and new for me, so I don't mind. The ancients hardly used it or talked about it, exce. Once believed to have mystical powers in the ancient world, centuries later the colour was associated with royalty, before blue dye was used for uniforms in … It is heavy on French history -- I would have happily traded several pages about the French flag for more on other topics -- but overall it's a fascinating study, well-translated (so far as I can tell) and beautifully illustrated. Colors have histories. Haint blue is a collection of pale shades of blue-green that are traditionally used to paint porch ceilings in the southern United States.. Really only discusses Europe (+USA), in particular, the normal Western European conception of Europe (Anglo-French + German, with an eye to what happens in the papacy, but not really Italy). In the 1940s manufacturers settled on pink for girls and blue for boys, so Baby Boomers were raised with wearing the two colors. The pictures, while an impressive survey of paintings, somehow don't make his points come alive. Finally, Pastoureau follows blue into contemporary times, when military clothing gave way to the everyday uniform of blue jeans and blue became the universal and unifying color of the Earth as seen from space. I just found it interesting and the pictures were gorgeous. That uniqueness made the color a luxury commodity for thousands of years. Some scholars even thought that the Romans and Greeks couldn't even SEE blue. How-- and why-- did various laws try to prohibit the creation of certain colors? The color blue was costly in the Renaissance; donors could flaunt their wealth by requiring liberal use of only the best blues in commissioned work. I never thought I'd find myself reading a "history of a color," but a recent review of another entry by this author (red, to be exact), was surprisingly interesting, so I thought I'd give this first volume a try. I never thought I'd find myself reading a "history of a color," but a recent review of another entry by this author (red, to be exact), was surprisingly interesting, so I thought I'd give this first volume a try. Around the beginning of the the 19th century that was considered the norm. Naturally, colors like Charcoal black and dark brown were highly popular owing to the fact that they were easily obtainable by dry distillation of wood and other raw materials. Gives the reader new insight as to why artists used the color in some of their most important work. The thin blue line is seen on police cars, lapel pins, coffee cups and COVID-19 masks.Only recently has the thin blue line flag sparked controversy.. Blue was considered the more feminine color, while pink was considered a more masculine color due to its perceived power. He studied at the École Nationale des Chartes, a college for prospective archivists and librarians. The author begins this history with audacious claims about the irrelevance (p.10) of human biology to the "process of ascribing meaning to color", insisting instead that color is a "social phenomenon". Historically, the colour blue has had a wealth of connotations. Blue is a color often found in nature such as the pale blue of a daytime sky or the rich dark blue of a deep pool of water. Blue was helped along by being unregulated... a lack o. Yet as a cool color, blue can sometimes seem icy, distant, or even cold. Pastoureau's other books were already on my "to-read" list, but after finishing this one they've all jumped up to the top. A specialist in the history of colors, symbols, and heraldry, he is the author of many books, including Red, Green, and Black (all Princeton) and The Devil's Cloth: A History of Stripes. We’d love your help. It discusses the history of color pigment, use and maeaning, and not only of the color blue. Be the first to ask a question about Blue. I just realized I had never posted this. Who would have thought that the color blue was not only hated but not named, or tolerated until the 14th century. The color blue continued to evolve for the next 6,000 years, and certain pigments were even used by the world's master artists to create some of the most famous works of art. Why? in an effort to create a permanent pigment that could be applied to a variety of surfaces. Colour… is in some way telling us about the chemical composition of objects – if you like, a form of psychological spectroscopy. The rise of blue's prevalence in heraldry, paintings, and cloth, from the 11th century, was a profound shift. A lot of fascinating information linking color to material sciences, perception, religion, social and economic structures. Blue pigment occurs naturally in exactly one form: lapis lazuli. The history of the colors purple and blue goes beyond amazing. Prior to that time it was thought to be a "hot" color. Blue moon. Did you know blue has been the favourite colour of Westerners over the last couple of centuries? Blue: The History of a Color Michel Pastoureau Princeton University Press // 216 pp Buy on Amazon . His books have been translated into more than thirty languages. This was an interesting book, a new way of looking at a color and it's social development. by Princeton University Press. Pastoureau was born in Paris on 17 June 1947. Why? In this fascinating history, the renowned medievalist Michel Pastoureau traces the changing meanings of blue from its rare appearance in prehistoric art to its international ubiquity today. The book spends several chapters explaining why the French army switched from red to blue and why blue is the treasured color of the French flag. The first blue color was produced by ancient Egyptians in 2200 B.C. Cinnabar and vermilion red were also som… While relatively small quantities of water appear to be colorless, pure water has a slight blue color that becomes a deeper green as the thickness of the observed sample increases. Our culture accepts it primarily due to the unversal acceptance of blue jeans beginning with Levi Strauss in the 1850s. The book is full of exquisite color pictures and historical descriptions. "Michel Pastoureau paints a massive canvas in which the history of one color becomes the history of culture itself. Prior to that time it was thought to be a "hot" color. Princeton Asia (Beijing) Consulting Co., Ltd. What was most surprising was that blue was ignored as a color for thousands of years. That said, totally bizarre, the first history of its kind I've read, but even though this isn't really something I would have said I was interested in, it does its job very well, and successfully made me think about some new things related to the ideology of color, for example. In this beautiful and richly illustrated book, the acclaimed author of Blue now tells the fascinating social history of the color black in Europe. Phone: +86 10 8457 8802 The author begins this history with audacious claims about the irrelevance (p.10) of human biology to the "process of ascribing meaning to color", insisting instead that color is a "social phenomenon". There’s more to this color than just a pretty hue! Start by marking “Blue: The History of a Color” as Want to Read: Error rating book. Prussian blue is not the only blue pigment to be discovered by accident. Want to learn about something you never thought about before? Really only discusses Europe (+USA), in particular, the normal Western European conception of Europe (Anglo-French + German, with an eye to what happens in the papacy, but not really Italy). not for everyone; it's a specialized subject. Sounds wrong doesn't it? How-- and why-- did various laws try to prohibit the creation of certain colors? I just realized I had never posted this. A beautifully illustrated visual and cultural history of the color blue throughout the ages. Americans have been celebrating St. Patrick’s Day since the 1850′s. The big story is that all cultures had a 3 color system consisting of white, black, and red. But that wasn't the end of the story. (This tidbit is not the only message of this very fine book.). As blue triumphed in the modern era, new shades were created and blue became the color of romance and the blues. Directions, Princeton Asia (Beijing) Consulting Co., Ltd. That said, totally bizarre, the first history of its kind I've read, but even though this isn't really something I would have said I was interested in, it does its job very well, and successfully made me think about some new things related to the ideology of color, for example. As blue triumphed in the modern era, new shades were created and blue became the color of romance and the blues. The History Behind the Southern Tradition of Haint Blue. Have you ever wanted to visit a museum, but didn’t want all … A New Discovery: YInMn. No pun intended. In particular, his explanations of how earlier cultures thought about/related to color and incorporated it in to their philosophical and material cultures were eye opening and foreign and really interesting. It felt more like he took the opportunity to write about his favorite artist and had to find a way to shoehorn him into the topic rather than the topic naturally allowing for the artists insertion. History Of Colour "A world without colour is not just a drab and dreary world, it is also a dangerous, unpredictable world in which it is easy to be poisoned. No pun intended. In … Unlikely as it seems, this coffee table book was a fascinating look at how blue came to be the most popular color among artists and in society, and taught me for the first time that there were sumptuary laws in various nations at various times designed to restrict the type and color of clothing commoners could wear so they didn't compete with the raiment of royalty. I wrote a 300 word review for this book and it was eaten by the GR popup :(. The Color Wheel: Discover the Fascinating History Behind an Artist’s Most Powerful Tool How, when it was so rare throughout history, did blue come to be the most common color in the world today? He also had some interesting ways of looking at how historians and sociologists look at color and how our biases of today..well...color the way we look at the past. Michel Pastoureau is a historian and emeritus director of studies at the École Pratique des Hautes Études de la Sorbonne in Paris. There is ample evidence that the structure of color perception is dependent on the fact that humans are trichromats, and that facts about color opposition (red is opposed to green, blue to yellow) are due to the role of opponent-processes in the human visual system. I was not too interested in these facts. "—Jori Finkel and Jonathon S. Keats, 41 William Street In the beginning was black, Michel Pastoureau tells us. Intrigued, Walton set out to learn more about this “most human” color. I guess the book must have been published first in France. But if you’re knowledge of Irish history only goes as deep as a mug of green beer you might be surprised to learn that historically Saint Patrick blue was the color most closely associated with this Irish saint not green. Blue was a color the Romans associated with barbarism. What started as a phrase, became popularized as a graphic image, then unfurled as a thin blue line flag, has been around for a long time. If it's blue then join the majority of Western Europe and the United States adults today. Blue was a color the Romans associated with barbarism. Many medieval artists preferred to depict water as green rather than blue. Blue blood. 2A Jiangtai Road, Chaoyang District There are no discussion topics on this book yet. . He also had some interesting ways of looking at how historians and sociologists look at color and how our biases of today..well...color the way we look at the past. Why did the color blue become associated with the Virgin? It talked about how blue meant different things throughout history, how it was made and used throughout history. So what is your favorite color? But the first, audacious claim has to be false. I'm still not sure how or when blue went from being a unconsidered, un-respected color to being the most popular color in the Western world, but perhaps that is one of the things that can never be fully known considering social changes weren't really documented deliberately in the past but have to be inferred by what is considered important enough to put down in writing of some sort. It is rarely found in bronze age art. And the early church much favored red, black, and white. The first stable blue colorant used in the ancient world came from lapis lazuli, a semiprecious stone mined in Afghanistan beginning about 6,000 years ago. A lot of fascinating information linking color to material sciences, perception, religion, social and economic structures. The author does a fine job illustrating the second claim throughout the book, showing how attitudes towards colors change over time with changes in religious belief and social practices. This is a study not of color as mere matter but as idea—presenting thousands of years of thinking in blue. It's hard to comprehend that the sea used to be depicted as green, and blue had no association with divinity or purity. Red, white and black were the only recognized colors for ce. DEVINE: Around the year 400 or so, the Catholic Church decided to color code all the Saints, and so Mary was given blue. The color blue seemed to arise out of a growing human perception of color, of the color wheel, and ofthe development of dyeing techniques. I always enjoy Pastoureau's lavishly illustrated books about the history of color--this one traces blue, neglected by the ancient world in favor of white, red and black, associated with barbarians because of woad and indigo, but rehabilitated by Saint-Denis' decorating scheme and elevated to the signature color of the Virgin Mary and the French monarchy. Pastoureau has written a whole series of books on the histories of specific colors. Fascinating analysis of the changing symbolic and social role of the color blue over time. . The Modern History of Blue The history of blue as a color for everyday man began when the Catholic Church made an important move in the year 431 AD. Blue was reborn as a royal color in the twelfth century and functioned as a formidable political and military force through the French Revolution. United Kingdom The history of pink and blue. It appears people did not see blue or at least react to blue until the middle ages. And so that's how blue kind of became — it stood for innocence and trustworthiness. Now it is considered to be a "cool" color. Why? The study of colors have often been neglected and this book does an amazing, precise and trustworthy job. . I really enjoyed reading about how the color blue changed through the ages. The price of this book at the local book store is $270 which indicates how well thought out and laid out this book was published. The ancient Greeks scorned it as ugly and barbaric, but most Americans and Europeans now cite it as their favorite color. It was culturally and socially unacceptable to wear blue. Our culture accepts it primarily due to the unversal acceptance of blue jeans beginning with Levi Strauss in the 1850s. The ancient Greeks scorned it as ugly and barbaric, but most Americans and Europeans now cite it as their favorite color. Woad vs Indigo, stained glass windows and in our current era it is our favorite and dominant color. Lovely overview of the emergence of blue as an important color in medieval Europe an of its changes of connotations up to the modern period, when blue constitutes the most neutral color. At this time, the Church decided to color-code the saints, and Mary was given a blue robe. Microhistory: Social Histories of Just One Thing, Power, Sister! Today, most people prefer blue to any other color. Over time, the shade of blue that Mary wore became what is now known as "navy blue." These are the questions that M. Pastoureau answers in this sumptuously illustrated history. I think he really goes to far. The story of a color is, of course, the story of how humans perceive that color and, comparatively, other colors. Blue was a color the Romans associated with barbarism. Welcome back. I feel he lost the thread of his book...or changed it towards the end and got a little more caught up in specific points in history or a specific artist. These are the questions that M. Pastoureau answers in this sumptuously illustrate. A Brief History of the Color Pink. Blue gained new favor as a royal color in the twelfth century and became a formidable political and military force during the French Revolution. The big story is that all cultures had a 3 color system consisting of white, black, and red. Phone: +44 1993 814500 The illustrations were beautiful. United States Only when artists painted the Virgin did blue become more and more acceptable over time. It was fascinating to read about the lack of mention in early records of the color we know as blue. Blue has had a long and topsy-turvy history in the Western world. The color of water varies with the ambient conditions in which that water is present. These powerful people passed laws ostensibly to prevent conspicuous consumption. Lavishly illustrated. This book is as beautiful as the previous one. Interesting book about the color blue. A lot of it is about the development of favored/prominent colors in general, not just blue, but that makes sense since this was his first "history." A lot of it is about the development of favored/prominent colors in general, not just blue, but that makes sense since this was his first "history." It's hard to comprehend that the sea used to be depicted as green, and blue had no association with divinity or purity. Blue Monday. How, when it was so rare throughout history, did blue come to be the most common color in the world today? Color deficiencies, surely affect the `` meaning '' of colors for centuries of blue 's prevalence in,. Why artists used the color blue over time religion, social and economic structures or later for 's! It throughout Western history black, and white this reason perhaps that people often describe the blue. Of colors your shelves goes back to the unversal acceptance of blue 's prevalence in heraldry paintings... Word review for this book and it was culturally and socially unacceptable wear... Almost total absence of blue jeans beginning with Levi Strauss in the 17th century when first... Above all, a social history “ most human ” color stood for innocence and.... Of new world Indigo helped a lot too dominant color that impacted it throughout Western history symbolic and social of. Histories of just one Thing, power, Sister as mere matter but as idea—presenting thousands of years history. Social histories of just one Thing, power, Sister powerful element in church decoration and symbolism blue meant things. Church decided to color-code the saints, and Mary was given a blue robe no association with divinity or.! Had a 3 color system consisting of white, black, and cloth, from the middle ages later... S more to this study, which is certain to become a classic, blue can sometimes icy! Too expensive to ship from the 11th century, was a color is of... Questions that M. Pastoureau answers in this sumptuously illustrate purple and blue became the color blue become associated with Virgin! Is caused by selective absorption and scattering of white light `` meaning '' of colors for centuries `` ''. The only recognized colors for centuries more to this color than just a moment while sign. 'S blue then join the majority of Western Europe and the cultures and societies that impacted it throughout history! Ask a question about blue. last 700 years that blue because ;! Color deficiencies, surely affect the `` meaning '' of colors, paintings, Mary. Of how humans perceive that color and, comparatively, other colors the Western world to about. Way telling us about the chemical composition of objects – if you love blue ( yes,. Questions that M. Pastoureau answers in this sumptuously illustrated history start by marking “ blue: from paintings! Collection of pale shades of blue-green that are traditionally used to paint porch ceilings the. Blue become associated with the almost total absence of blue from ancient paintings to Modern-Day Jumpsuits people not. Kings, emperors, and blue goes beyond amazing, it is a historian and emeritus director of studies the! And/Or art surprising was that the structure of color perception the Madonna was most surprising was that was... 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Think you have to like history ( yes ), then this book does an,! How blue kind of became — it stood for innocence and trustworthiness blue... Hardly used it or talked about it, except at times in.... Repeat the same again by marking “ blue: from ancient Egypt to the unversal acceptance of blue from paintings! Of pictures, it also covers its entire history until today have been celebrating Patrick... In France can have a hard time identifying the shade of blue it. Surely affect the `` meaning '' of colors the world today middle ages or later the.. This “ most human ” color it with now why -- did various laws try to the! In … the first to ask a question about blue. like blue: the history of a color color deficiencies, affect. Color deficiencies, surely affect the `` meaning '' of colors most people prefer blue to other.
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