UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS LIBRARY AX URBANA-CHAMPAIGN CPIA The person charging this material is re- sponsible for its return to the library from which it was withdrawn on or before the Latest Date stamped below. Theft, mutilation, and underlining of books are reasons for disciplinary action and may result in dismissal from the University. To renew call Telephone Center, 333-8400 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS LIBRARY AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016 https://archive.org/details/lawsofcontrastcoOOchev X fHf ■' Of m the Lii^s OF contrast of colour ™ iPPLiams 10 TBE Am OP fAlimifG, DBCOBATIOX OP BUrrnr CABPBr WEAVivr MOSAIC WOBB calico pbixtog ^ TAPESTBY AUD militaby clo STAITOg, mnminrnon M. E. CHEVReut i>ibectob of ihf „„ •'■K-tiLE, works op the ®TC. BTC. <^OBELrjTS, Translated FnoAr m the eeehch ev JOHN SPANTON. l^-EW MTilTION, '' " prinRJ, i„ ItOUTUOGE WarKf°'*' »K: 06, WALKER street 1861 . ■ 1 '! ) idWA /s^i C0:N TENTS. Introduction PiGE 1 PAET THE FIEST. Section I. -On the law op simultaneous contrast OF COLOURS, AND OP ITS DEMONSTRATION BY MEANS OP EXPERIMENT MEANS observing the Phenomena of the Simu taneous Contrast of Colours. Definition of Simultaneous Contrast .... ^ Chap. II. -The Law of the Simultaneous Contrast of ^ Colours, and the Formula which represents it . . . 8 Cl^. Ill —The Law of Simultaneous Contrast of Colours demonstrated by the Juxtaposition of a cer- tain umber of Coloured Bodies . .... IQ ^^^'h White°° Juxtaposition of Coloured Surfaces 23 g the Juxtaposition of Coloured Bodies With Grey ClL'-P. VII.— On the Juxtaposition of Coloured Bodies belonging to the Colours of the same Group of Co- loured Rays . . p '-'u IV CONTENTS. Chap. YIII. — On the Application of the Law of Con- trast to the Hypothesis that Bed, Yellow, and Blue are the only Primary Colours ; and that Orange, Green, Indigo, and Violet are Secondary or Com- posite Colours 25 ' Section II. — On the distinction between simultaneous, SUCCESSIVE, AND MIXED CONTRAST OF COLOURS, AND ON THE CONNEXION BETWEEN THE EXPERIMENTS MADE BY THE AUTHOR, AND THOSE PREVIOUSLY MADE BY OTHER OB- SERVERS. DISTINCTION BETWEEN SIMULTANEOUS, SUC- CESSIVE, AND MIXED CONTRAST OF COLOURS .... 29^ PAET THE SECOND. On THE APPLICATION OF THE LAW OF SIMULTANEOUS CON- TRAST OF COLOURS 34 Introduction 34 Definition of the words Tones, Scales, and Hues . . 34 Of Diagrams designed to represent and define Colours and their Modifications 36 Harmony of Colours 46 Assortments of Ked, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Violet with White, Black, and Grey 49' Colours with White 50 Colours with Black 54 Colours with Grey 58 Eirst Division. — Imitation of coloured objects with COLOURED MATERIALS IN A STATE OF INFINITE DIVISION 68 Introduction ..68 Painting on the System of Chiaro-^scuro ..... 69 Painting on the System of Flat Tints 81 Section III.— On colouring in painting 82 Chap. I. — On Colouring 82 Of Aerial Perspective 83 Of Colouring in respect to the Harmony of the Colours of the various Objects composing the Picture .... 85 CONTEXTS. V PAGB Chap. II. — Utility of the Law of Simultaneous Contrast of Colours in the Art of Colouring 87 Utility of this Law in order to imitate promptly and surely the Modification of Light on the Model ... 89 Utility of the Law in order to Hannonize those Co- lours of a Composition which are inherent to the Nature of the Object represented 95 Second Division. — Imitation of coloured objects by MATERIALS OF A DEFINITE SIZE, AS THREADS, &C. . 102 Chap. I. — On the Elements of Gobelins Tapestry . . 104 Rule I.— The Binary Mixture of Primary Colours. 104 Rule II. — The Mixture of Complementary Colours 105 Rule III. — The Mixture of the Three Primary Co- lours in such proportions that they do not become neu- tralized, because one or the other of them is in excess . 108 Third Division. — Colour printing 118 On Calico Printing, and printing Paper-hangings . . . 118 False Judgment of the Value of Recipes for Colouring Compositions 119 Chap. II. — On the Law of Simultaneous Contrast of Co- lours in relation to Paper-hangings with Figures, Land- scapes, or large Flowers of varied Colours . . . . 121 On the Law of Simultaneous Contrast of Colours rela- tively to the Borders of Paper-hangings 123 Printed or written Characters on Papers of different Colours 136 On the Assortment of Colours for reading by diffused Daylight 138 Fourth Division. — Employment of colours in archi- tecture 138 1. On the Employment of Colours in Egyptian Architecture 138 2. On the Employment of Colours in Greek Archi- tecture 139 3. On the Employment of Colours in Gothic Archi- itecture ..141 VI COOTENTS. PAGB Application to the Interior of Edifices 143 On the Assortment of Stuffs with the Wood of Seats 143 On the Selection of Frames for Pictures and En- gravings 145 On the General Decoration of the Interiors of Churches 147 On the Decoration of Museums and Galleries . . 14 Decorations of the Interior of Houses 152 On the Assortment of Colours in Interiors, the Walls of which are panelled or covered with Marble, Stucco, or Painted Wood 163 Fifth Division. — Clothing 165 I. Men’s Clothing 165 Of the Advantages of Contrast, coiivsidered with regard to the apparent Cleanliness of Cloth for Clothing . . 165 II. Female Clothing 167 Colours for the Dress of Women with White Skins 167 Of the Colours of the Hair and Head-dress . . . 168 Of the Colours of the Complexion and the contiguous Drapery 16^ The Head-dress in relation to the Colotrred Pays which it may reflect upon the Skin 171 Fair- haired Type 175 Type with Black Hair 176 On the Assortment of Colours in the Dress of Women with Copper-coloured Skins 177 On the Assortment of Colours in the Dress of Women with Black or Olive Skins 177 APPLICATIONS TO HOPTICULTUPE. On the Art of arranging ornamental Plants in Gardens, so as to derive the greatest possible advantage fi’om the Colours of their Flowers ISO Assortments of Flowers where the Plants are apart . . . 181 Assortments relating to the Harmonies of Contrast of Hues 182 CONTENTS. vii PAGB Assortments as to Harmony of Analogy 182 On the Art of assorting Ligneous Plants in Gardens, so as to derive the best possible advantage from the Colour of their Foliage 184 On the Distribution and Planting of Trees, &c., in Masses 185 Chap. I. Of Lines of Plants 187 Of the Lines of Plants called Screens 188 Of Lines of Plants considered as Elements of Masses 188 Of Homogeneous Masses 18^ Of Heterogeneous or Varied Masses 190 Isolated 190 Contrast of Colours 194 Eepetition 194 Symmetry 198 General Harmony 198 Sixth Division. — Intervention of the preceding prin- ciples IN THE JUDGMENT OP COLOURED OBJECTS, RELA- TIVELY TO THEIR COLOURS, CONSIDERED INDIVIDUALLY, AND TO THE MANNER IN WHICH THEY ARE ASSOCIATED . 197 On the Connexion of the Law of Simultaneous Con- trast of Colours with the Judgment we form upon all Coloured Bodies, under the relations of the respective Beauty or Purity of their Colours, and of the Equality of the Distance of their Tones if these bodies belong to the same scale 205 On the Comparison of two Samples of the same Colour 208 Influence of a Surrounding Colour upon one Colour when compared with another 208 On the Effect of Contrast upon the Browns and the Lights of most of the Scales of Wood and Silk em- ployed in Tapestry and Carpets 208 Means afforded by Contrast for ascertaining whether the Tones of a Scale of Colour are equidistant . . . 209 Of the Binary Associations of Colours, critically con- sidered 210 Of the Complex Association of Colours, reviewed critically 214 viii CONTENTS. Of the Arts which address the Eye by employing Coloured Materials of a certain size, considered rela- tively to the Physical Condition of these Materials, and to the Peculiarity of the Art employing them . . . Tapestries, Carpets, Mosaics, and Coloured Glass Windows, corresponding to Paintings in Chiaro- ’scuro Of the Disposition of the Mind of the Spectator in respect to the Judgment he forms of an Object of Art which attracts his eye 'On the Coloues of Militaey Unifobms FAOB 218 21D 225 227 Index 235 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. ENGRAVED AND PRINTED IN COLOURS BY EDMUND .EVANS. I 2 T referring to the illustrations, it wiU be necessary to cover with white paper all but the example immediately under notice. Note. — In Plates 8, 9, and 10, the examples are in rows of 13 circles arranged lengthwise. TLATE PAGE 1. Diagrams, Various 4 2. Experimental Demonstrations op Contrast of Colour 7 ) Modifications which the Principal Colours 4. / ^ \ INDUCE IN Contiguous Colours 17 6. SisiPLE AND Compound Colours 26 7. Chromatic Diagram 36 8. Assortments op Coloured Circles : — Colours with White . 51 9 . Do. Do. Black 54 10. Do. Do. Grey 58 11. Elements op Gobelins Tapestry: — The Binary Mixture op Primary Colours . 104 12. Do. The Mixture of Complementary Colours . 105 13. Black Ornaments on Various Coloured Grounds 120 14. Grey Do. Do. Do. 123 15. Metallic Gilt Ornaments on Do. 124 16. Border of Blue Flowers on Do. 130 17. Border of Koses and Leaves on Do. 131 PEEFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION. The present edition lias been entirely revised ; some obscurities cleared up, and a chapter on Military Clothing added. The application of Chevreul’s rea- soning will doubtless tend to a rational view of this much debated question. It affords much satisfaction to all concerned in the diffusion of the principle^ enunciated in this work, to observe that they are being generally applied in this country, thus realizing the hopes originally expressed by the translator. TRANSLATOR’S PREFACE. Colour, a universal source of enjoyment, so essential an element of decorative art, has not been hitherto the subject of such investigations as to place its powers, harmonies, and discordances among matters of scientific certainty. A few traditionary dogmas have been the only guide of ordinary workmen, while success in design, as well as in the higher regions of art, has been depen- dent upon that rare union of faculties vaguely denoted by the indefinite, unsatisfactory term, taste.” The arrangement of colours in manufactures of Eng- lish design — since the decline of mediaeval art — has commonly been condemned as notoriously arbitrary,^ destitute of any reference to principle, and deficient in that satisfying richness and beauty which result from harmonious combinations. Although often overcharged with colour, and of costly elaboration, our manufactures have too often proved that the designer — in ignorance of a true, infallible standard — has mistaken gaudiness for splendour, and capricious strangeness for improve- ment ; and, for want of a better claim to popular favour, has constantly sought it by leaning on novelty, his fickle, frail support.” xii teanslator’s preface. The established preference of French designs was shown, by the Great Exhibition of 1851, to be, in the main, well founded ; and one of the leading causes of the perfect success of some objects was found in the fact, that they had been designed and executed in ac- cordance with a well-defined set of principles, exten- sively taught in France to designers, workmen, and others. These principles it is the purpose of this book to set forth, to illustrate, and to apply to every art of which the choice and arrangement of colours is an element. The author, M. Chevreul, before the publication of this work, had gained high reputation by his researches in organic chemistry. In his Considerations sur I’Analyse Organique,” he enunciated principles which, carried into practice in his Eecherches sur les Corps Gras d’origine animal,” opened the path which has been rendered illustrious by Liebig and others. But, being appointed Director of the Dye Works of the Gobelins, he was compelled to abandon these researches — ^the field in which, having sown, he had, as it were, only to reap,” — that he might fully investigate the principles involved in the assortment of colours. M. Chevreul’s earnest attention to this inquiry was continued during ten years, with ample opportunities for investigation. For twenty-five years he has been in the habit of lecturing to workmen, artists, &c. The undisputed superiority of those French manu- factures in which these instructions have been fully carried out, has evinced his success and rewarded his exertions. Aware of the important influence of such knowledge, translator’s preface. xiii the Chamber of Commerce of Lyons solicited and obtained from the French Government permission for M. Chevreul to lecture there to the artisans especially, to whom printed copies of the lectures were afterwards gratuitously distributed. As the present Work contains the substance of these instructions, we may hope that our own industrious coun- trymen may not long be without a similar advantage. The value of this book has been universally recog- nised, and it has already been translated into several languages, although but recently into our own. A recent critic has said, with equal truth and eloquence, — ^‘Rarely has a subject of inquiry, so fraught with beautiful and ready applications, been presented to us. To be familiar with this book is to possess a new sense. Every object in art and nature speaks a new and exciting language. Colour becomes music to the eye. We become impatient of any violent infringement of the principles of harmony, and seek every opportunity of putting our newly-acquired knowledge into practice. The minuteness of investigation, and the copiousness of illustration which characterize this volume are truly remarkable ; the most untutored mind cannot fail to understand it, if steady attention be given. As a pre- paration for a course of scientific study, it is invaluable, for it is an excellent example of the Baconian method of investigation.” EXTEACTS FEOM THE AUTHOR’S PREFACE. In seeking to discover the causes of the complaint made of the quality of certain colours prepared in the dyeing laboratory of the Gobelins, I was at once con- vinced, that, although the complaints concerning the instability of the light blues, greys, and browns, might be well founded, there were others, especially those of a want of vigour in the blacks employed for the shadows of blue and violet draperies, which were not so ; for, having procured black-dyed wools from the most celebrated dye-works in France and other countries, and having found that they were not superior to those of the Gobelins, I saw that the want of vigour alleged against the blacks was owing to the colours contiguous to them, and that the matter was involved in the phenomena of the contrast of colours. It was thus demonstrated to me that I had two absolutely distinct subjects to investigate, in order to fulfil my duties as Director of the Dye AYorks ; the first being the contrast of colours, considered in the most general manner, both in relation to science and to xiv EXTRACTS FROM AUTHOR’S PREFACE. XV its applications : the second — the chemistry of dyeing. These are the two centres around which have converged all my researches during the last ten years. In fact, numerous observations made during several months, on the view of coloured objects, which were veri- fied by my pupils and others, much accustomed in their profession to judge of colours and to appreciate the least differences between them, have been collected and de- scribed as well-known facts. Upon reflecting on the mutual relations of these facts, and in seeking the prin- ciple of which they were the results, I was led to the dis- covery of that which I have named the “ Law of Simul- taneous Contrast of Colours.” Thus this work is the fruit of the method d posteriori : facts are observed, de- fined, described, then generalized in a simple expression, which has all the characters of a law of nature. This law, once demonstrated, becomes a means, d, priori^ of assorting coloured objects so as to obtain their best pos- sible effect, according to the taste of the person who arranges them; it becomes also a means of estimating whether the eyes are well organized for seeing and judg- ing of colours ; and whether painters have copied exactly the colours of known objects. In reviewing the Law of Contrast with regard to its application, and in submitting to experiment all the laws which appear to me to result from it, I have been led to extend it to the arts of tapestry, to the various sorts of painting and printing, to illuminating, horticul- ture, &c. But, in order to anticipate the judgments of some readers, upon the value of the opinions I have advanced (2nd part, 2nd division) respecting the Gobelins and Beauvais tapestry and the Savonnerie B X71 EXTRACTS FROM AUTHOr’s PREFACE. carpets, I must state, that, being an entire stranger to the inspection and direction of the works which are executed in the Koyal manufactories, as well as to the choice of models, my views and opinions should be regarded only as those of an individual who has had frequent occasion to see and examine various artistic productions, on the preparation of which he could exer- cise no influence, the duties which attach me to the Gobelins being exclusively those of Director of its Dye Works. THE LAWS OF ^arntoit^i Contrast of Colours. INTRODUCTION. 1. A EAY of solar liglit is composed of an indetermi- nate number of variously coloured rays, wbicb are dis- tributed into groups, termed red rays, orange rays, yet- loiv rays, green rays, blue rays, indigo rays, violet rays. 2. But all the rays comprised in the same group, the red for example, are not identical in colour ; on the contrary, they may be considered as differing more or less among themselves, although we recognise the im- pression they produce separately, as comprised in that which we ascribe to red light. 3. When light is reflected by an opaque white body, it is not modified in proportion to the variously coloured rays which constitute white light; but, 1. 1/ the body is not 'polished, every point of its surface is to be con- sidered as dispersing the white light which falls upon it, in all directions, into the surrounding space ; so that the point becomes visible to an eye placed in the direc- tion of one of its rays. We may easily conceive that the image of the body, in a given position, is composed of the sum of the physical points, which send to the eye so placed, a portion of the light which each point 2 HAEMONY AND CONTEAST OP COLOUES. radiates. 2. If the body is 'polished, as, for example, tho surface of a mirror, a portion of the light is irregularly reflected, as in the preceding case ; while another por- tion is regularly reflected, giving to the mirror the pro- perty of presenting to an eye, suitably placed, the image of the body which sends its light to the reflector. One consequence of this distinction is, that if we regard two plane surfaces which reflect white light, and differ from each other only in polish, it will happen that where the unpolished surface is visible, all its parts mil be equally, or almost equally, illuminated ; while the eye, when in a position to receive only the light which it reflects irregularly, will receive very little light from the polished surface ; but it will receive much more light when in a position to receive that which is regularly reflected. 4. If the light which falls on a body is completely absorbed by that body, so that it disappears from sight, as in falling into a perfectly dark cavity, then the body appears to us black ; and it becomes visible only be- cause it is contiguous to surfaces which reflect or trans- mit light. We know of no bodies which are perfectly black, and it is only because they reflect a little white light that we judge they have relief, like other material objects. 5. When light is reflected by an opaque coloured body, there is always a reflection of white light, and a reflection of coloured light ; the latter is owing to the fact that the body absorbs or extinguishes within itself some of the coloured rays, and reflects the others. It is evident that the absorbed coloured rays are of a different colour from the reflected coloured rays ; and farther, that if these be reunited with the former, white light will be reproduced. It is evident, also, that unpolished opaque INTRODUCTIOK-. 3 bodies reflect irregularly white light, and the coloured light which makes them appear coloured ; and that those which are polished reflect irregularly a portion only of these two lights, while they reflect regularly the other portion. 6. It thus appears, by what has been said concerning the physical composition of solar light, that if the whole of the coloured light which is absorbed by a coloured body were reunited with the whole of the light which it re- flects, white light would result. Now, it is this property of two variously coloured lights, taken in a certain pro- portion, to reproduce white light, that we express by the words coloured lights complementary to each other, or complementary colours. It is in this sense that we say, Eed is complementary to Green, and vice versa. Orange „ „ Blue, „ „ Greenish Yellow „ Violet, „ „ Indigo „ „ Orange Yellow, „ 7. It must not be supposed that a red body, a yeUow body, &c. reflects, besides white light, only the red rays or yellow rays, &c., each of these bodies reflects also every sort of coloured rays ; but, the rays which cause us to judge it to be red or yellow, &c., being more numerous than the others, produce more efiect than they; yet, the latter have an undoubted influence in modifying the action of red and yellow rays upon the organ of sight. This explains the innumerable diver- sities of colour observable among various red bodies, various yeUow bodies, &c. It is difficult not to admit that among these diversely coloured rays reflected by bodies, there are a certain number which, complemen- tary to each other, must reproduce white light upon reaching the retina. 4 HAEMOOT AND CONTEAST OF COLOUES. PART THE FIRST. SECTION THE FIRST. OF THE LAW OF SIMULTANEOUS CONTEAST OF COLOUES, AND OF ITS DEMONSTEATION BY MEANS OF EXPEEI- MENT. CHAPTER I. Manner of observing the Phenomena of the Simultaneous Contrast of Colours. — Definition of Simultaneous Contrast, 8. If we look at tlie same time at two stripes of un- equal tints of the same colour, or at two stripes of equal tints of different colours, in juxtaposition, that is to say, contiguous by one of their edges, the eye will per- ceive, if the stripes be not too wide, certain modifica- tions ; in the first case affecting the intensity of the two tints, in the second, the optical composition of the two colours so placed. Now as these modifications cause the colours to appear, when looked at together, more different than they really are, I have given to them the name of the simultaneous contrast of colours. The modi- fication which affects the intensity of colour, I term contrast of tone; and the modification which affects the optical composition of the contiguous colours, I term contrast of colour. The twofold phenomena of contrast of colour and contrast of tone may be readily shown by the following Ex'perimental Demonstration of Contrast of Tone, Plate A A'. 9. Let the two halves of a sheet of unglazed paper, about twenty inches square, be coloured clear grey, by a- PLATE I. Page 4 . / SIMULTA^s’EOUS COXTEAST. 5 mixture of chalk and black ; fix them, in any way, upon a piece of unbleached linen, placed across a window, at the distance of twelve inches asunder. Take two halves of another piece of similar paper B B', but of a darker grey, and coloured with the same substances. Fix A next to B and place B' twelve inches from B. (See Fig. 1.) Upon looking at the four half sheets for a few seconds, it will be seen that A contiguous to B will be lighter than A', while B will seem darker than B'. 10. It is easy to demonstrate that the modification is not equally intense over the whole of the surfaces A A' and B B', but that it becomes gradually feebler from the line of contact. This may be proved by placing a card, so cut, that O and P may each present three grey stripes, as shown in Fig. 2, Plate 1. The stripes 1 1 are more modified than the stripes 2 2, and these are more so than the stripes 3 3. However, in order that this modifica- tion may be effected, it is not absolutely necessary that 0 and P should touch; for if the stripes 1 1 be covered, the stripes 2 2, 3 3 will be modified. 11. The following experiment, which is simply the result of the two preceding (9 and 10), is well suited to demonstrate the extent of contrast of tone. Upon a sheet of cardboard divided into ten stripes, each about a quarter of an inch broad, lay a uniform tint of Indian ink. As soon as it is dry, lay a second tint on all the stripes except the first. As soon as the second is dry, lay a third on all the stripes except the first and second, and so on of all the rest, so as to have ten flat tints, gradually increasing in depth from the first to the last. (See Fig. 3.) If ten strips of paper of the same grey, but each of a different tone, be laid upon a cardboard, in the preceding gradation, it will serve the same purpose. 6 HABMONY AND CONTRAST OF COLOURS. Upon looking at the cardboard, it will be seen that the strips, instead of presenting fiat tints, will eacb appear of a tone diminishing in intensity from the edge a a to the edge hh. In the stripe 1, the contrast is produced simply by the contiguity of the edge h h with the edge a a of the stripe 2 j in the stripe 10, it is simply by the contiguity of the edge a a with the edge hh oi the stripe 9. But in each of the intermediate stripes 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, the contrast is produced by a double cause ; partly by the contiguity of the edge a a with the edge hh oi the stripe which precedes it, partly by the contiguity of the edge hh with the edge aa oi the darker tint which follows it. The first cause tends to raise the tone of the half of the intermediate stripe ; while the second cause tends to lower the tone of the other half of the same stripe. In consequence of this contrast, the stripes seen from a proper distance, resemble channels rather than flat surfaces. For, in the stripes 2 and 3 for instance, the grey is weakened from the edge a a to the edge h h, presenting to the eye the same effect as if the light fell upon a channelled surface j there is however this difference, that in the real channelling the enlight- ened part would throw a reflection upon the dark portion. 12. Contrast of tone occurs with colours so called as well as with grey ; thus to repeat the experiment (9), fig. 1, with the halves o o of a sheet of paper of a light tint of a certain colour, and the two halves pp of a sheet of paper of a darker tint of the same colour, it wiU be seen that o contiguous to p will be lighter than o', and p darker than^'. In short, it may be demonstrated as has been done (10) that the modification of colours in juxtaposition becomes weaker in proportion to their PLATE II Fage 7 . EXPERIMENTAL DEMONSTRATION. 7 distance from the line of contact ; and in order to observe this effect in bodies which are not contiguous, it is only necessary to experiment as described in (10). The colours experimented upon must be as nearly as possible of equal intensity. 1 3. Experimental Demonstration of Contrast of Colour, — If we arrange as before, the two halves of an unglazed coloured sheet of paper, and two halves of another sheet of a different colour, but as nearly as possible of equal intensity, or rather of tone (8), upon looking at the four half-sheets 0 o', pp' for a few seconds, we shall see that o differs from o' and p from p ^ ; consequently the two half- sheets, 0 p, seem to undergo a reciprocal modification of tint, which is rendered apparent by comparing their colours with those of o' and p', ^ A TVT.. 1 f inclines to Violet. Yellow. Violet. Green Yellow. Green. YeUow. Blue. Yellow. Indigo. Bed. Bright Green. Bright Bed, Blue. Yellow. Blue. Yellow. Indigo. 14 :. 1 ^ 0 . 1 . 3. 4. 1 Orange f Bed ' ( Yellow (Bed (Blue TBed ( Indigo 5 fEed I Violet g ( Orange ■ ( Yellow - ( Orange * ( Green g r Orange * ( Indigo Q ( Orange ■ I Violet 8 HAKMONY AND CONTKAST OF COLOURS. la. j 1 Yellow inclines to Bright Orange. Green Blue. n.j : Yellow Orange. !. Blue Indigo. 12. - f Green 93 Yellow. i Blue 33 Indigo. 13. j r Green 33 Yellow. 1 Indigo 33 Violet. 14. ] ' Green 33 Yellow. 1 Violet 33 Red. 15. ^ f Blue 33 Green. i Indigo 33 Deep Violet. 16. j fBlue 33 Green. [ Violet 33 Red. 17. ^ f Indigo 33 Blue. i Violet 33 Red. 15. It thus appears from the experiments described in this chapter that two coloured surfaces in juxtaposition^ viewed simultaneously, present to the eye two modi- fications — one relative to the depth of tone of their respective colours, and the other relative to the physical composition of those colours. CHAPTER II. TliQ Lavj of the Simultaneous Contrast of Colours, and the Formula which represents it 16. After I had assured myself that the preceding phenomena were constant for my sight when it was not fatigued, and that many persons, accustomed to judge of colours, saw them as I did, I sought to reduce them to an expression sufiiciently general to render it possible to predicate the effect which would be produced upon the FORMULAE. 9 organ of vision by the juxtaiposition of two given colours. All the phenomena that I have observed seem to depend upon a very simple law, which in its most general sense may be enunciated in these terms : When two contiguous colours are seen at the same time, they appear as dis- similar as possible, both with regard to their optical composition and their depth of tone. Therefore there may be at once simultaneous contrast of colour, properly so called, and simultaneous contrast of tone. 17. Now two colours in juxtaposition, o and p, will differ from each other in the greatest possible degree when the complementary of o is added to p, and the complementary of p is added to o ; indeed by the juxta- position of 0 and p, the rays of the colour p, which o reflects when it is seen alone, and which are active in that case, cease to be so when o and p are in juxta- position. Now under these circumstances, each of the two colours, losing what it has analogous to the other, must be so much more different from it. 18. The following formulae will illustrate this : — Let us represent — The colour of the stripe 0 by the colour a plus white B, „ P „ a' plus white the complementary colour of a by C, the colours of the two stripes seen separately are — Colour of O = a + B ; colour of P = a' + B' ; by juxtaposition they become — Colour of O = a + B + (/, P = a' + B' + c. We will now show that this expression amounts to taking away the rays of a' from the colour a of O (15), and to taking away the rays of the colour a from a' of P. iO HARMONY AND CONTRAST OF COLOURS. For let us suppose — B reduced into two portions, wMte = 6 + white = {a' + c'), B' reduced into two portions, white = 6' + white = (a + c). The colours of the two stripes seen separately are — The colour of 0 = a + & + a' + c', and the colour of P = a' + 6' + a 4- c. By juxtaposition they become — The colour of O = a 4- 6 + c', and the colour of P = a' 4- 6' + c. An expression which is evidently the same as the former, except for the values of B and B'. 19. I have said that simultaneous contrast may at the same time affect the optical composition of colours, and the depth of their tone j consequently, when colours are not of the same depth, that which is deep appears deeper, and that which is light appears lighter j that is to say, the former appears to lose white light, while the latter seems to reflect more of it. Thus there may he, in looking at two contiguous colours, simultaneous contrast of colours and simultaneous contrast of tone. CHAPTER III. The Law of Simultaneous Contrast of Colours demonstrated by the Juxtaposition of a certain Number of Coloured Bodies, 20. Let us now apply the above formula to the seventeen observations of Chapter I., and we shall see that the modifications of contiguous colours are precisely those which would result from the addition to each of them of the complementary of the contiguous colour (18). The rank these colours occupy in Chapter I. may be readily noted, as I have attached to each the number -applied to it in that chapter. And for the comple- mentary of each colour see (6). (See Plate II.) EFFECTS OF JUXTAPOSITION. 11 12 HARMONY AND CONTRAST OP COLOURS. o . tc o £ 03 > 73 ' "o hO ^ c 5 - 1 •§ o> ^ pQ o i r3 ^ ^PQHH to . i § oS 6 E o § k2 M |X a cT o !=! '-^ o> ;-i ■ >-^ f. ^ * 1 O 2 M o I O !§ ^ 'S - fXi ^ «>S ns S “5 -s e M'S ‘{H |i *o ^ pQ O ^•'■SP ^ T3 ^ HH 53 2 <3> O Ph ^ ' oTp^ pS -2 pq^> TS ns cs ;n 20 a ns (D ^ - P^^^ 20 a • pH O o . ^ I "TT C« t -4 P^O Q> ri o a 5P o a 2 g OO cs :j s ^ o •• Pk 3 o Pi P Ph O pa •q ^ •fH 0> ^p^ 1>^ CM .§> «l hH Ph CO . 20 g 5=3 ^ S OtH o (M I S;a o> 0>H o CO S3 o O 2 p 3 OPP pa ^ o 2 ^ •P^ P-H P>PP CM CO EFFECTS OF JUXTAPOSITION. 13 to o a • rH Of> =*3 ^ r-> ?■ S3 t 3 Sm AO .s ^ I O O < CN C« SJD S ^ "3 ftq § ^ 2 mO t •' P^ CQ o -tj c3 to a J O 1=4 >— ! O ^i-Cj 0 ^ g^a 1 s ±* u o o p4 o P4 § ^ o 1=1 a •73 33 M pq O ^ ^ o T3 1=1 o o pq a» ^ P^ PQ fcJD C O 2 ^ O M •73 O HH f>“ CO CO CO 14 HARMONY AND CONTRAST OF COLOURS. 38. It is evident that, all other things being equal, the modifications of contiguous colours will be so much the more marked, as the complementary colour C or C', which is added to each of them, differs more from them ; for the complementary C' which is added to the colour O, is identical with it, as the complementary C is identical with the colour P to which it is added ; and the modi- fications of 0 and P will simply augment the intensity of their colours. But are there yet any two bodies known which present to the observer two pure colours perfectly complementary to each other ? Certainly not ; all those which are coloured by reflection reflect (7), besides white light, a great number of rays of various colours. We cannot instance a red body and a green body, or an orange and a blue, or an orange-yellow and an indigo, or a greenish-yellow and a molei, which reflect pure or mixed colours, absolutely complementary to each other. So that the juxtaposition of these colours produces only a simple augmentation of their intensity. Hence, although it is less easy to verify the law of contrast with respect to red and green, or orange and blue, &c., than with respect to those which are the object of the seventeen experi- ments just described (15), yet, upon applying it to the former, it will be seen that their colours acquire a most remarkable brilliancy, strength, and purity. This result, perfectly conformable to the law, may be easily under- stood : for example, an orange-coloured object reflects blue rays, as a blue object reflects orange rays (7). Hence, when a blue stripe is put in contact with an orange stripe, although it is admitted that the first appears to the eye to receive blue from the orange of the second, as this appears to receive orange from the blue of the blue stripe ; or what is the same thing, that the blue stripe appears to destroy the effect of the blue rays EFFECTS OF JUXTAPOSITION. 15 of the second stripe, as these appear to destroy the effect of the orange rays of the blue stripe — it is evident that the two colours so contrasted must purify each other, and become more intense. But the blue may incline to green or violet, and the orange to yellow or red ; that is to say, the modification may not only affect the in- tensity of the colour, but also its physical composition. However, if this latter effect take place, it is always much more feeble than the first. Besides, if you look several times at the same coloured stripes, you will see that the blue which at first had appeared to you green- ish will afterwards appear inclining to violet ; and that the orange, which had appeared at first yellowish, will incline to red ; so that the phenomena of modification, as it affects the physical composition of colour, will not have the constancy of those which are the subject of the preceding seventeen observations (15). I now proceed to state the observations I have made on colours which are most nearly complementary to each other. Red and Green, 39. Red^ the complementary ofGreen^ placed hy the side of Green, increases its intensity. Green, the complementary of Red, placed hy the side of Red, increases its intensity. Such is the theoretical result, the experimental result entirely agrees with it. When we place a green, inclining * In the original French Edition there is evidently a confusion of terms in this and the two following articles (39, 40, 41, 42). The Ked is there represented as placed in juxtaposition with red, and green with green, and so on with the other instances ; orange and blue ; orange- yellow and indigo ; greenish- yellow and violet ; instead of being made by contrast with their respective complementaries to intensify each other. 16 HABMONY AND CONTRAST OF COLOURS. more to yellow than to blue, side by side with, 1st, a slightly orange-red, 2nd, a sEghtly crimson-red, and 3rd, an intermediate red, and repeat our observations several times on each of these assemblages of colour, we shall observe different results ; that is to say, in one case the red will appear more orange and the green yellower, and in another the red will appear more violet and the green bluer. We shall find also that the change may be attributed as much to a difference in the intensity of the light upon the colours as to fatigue of the eye. When we place a green, inclining rather to blue than to yellow, side by side with, 1st, a slightly orange-red^ 2nd, a slightly crimson-red, and 3rd, an intermediate red, the results are the same as with the first green, but with this difference, — that in the assemblage of bluish- green and of slightly crimson-red, observed several times, the green and the red appear almost constantly yellower than they are separately. A result very easily understood. Orange and Blue, 40. Blue, the complementary of Orange, placed hy the side of Orange, increases its intensity. Orange, the complementary of Blue, placed hy the side of Blue, increases its intensity. Upon repeating these observations with a deep blue and an orange which is not too red, the two' colours, appear commonly to become redder. Orange-Yellow and Indigo, 41. Orange-yellow, the complementary of Indigo, placed hy the side of Indigo, increases its intensity. Indigo, the complementary of Orange-yellow, placed hy the side of Orange-yellow, increases its intensity. r' 'i ' ” 'N ■ 1 ^-^ / EFFECTS OF JUXTAPOSITION. 17 Greenish- Yellow and Violet, 42. Greenish-yellow, the complementary of Violet, placed hy the side of Violet, increases its intensity, Violet, the complementai^ of Greenish-yellow, placed hy the side of Greenish-yellow, increases its intensity. The result of observation is almost always in con- formity with this law. 43. According to the law of the simultaneous contrast of colours, and the insensible gradation of modification, beginning at the contiguous edges of the colours in juxtaposition (11), we may show, by means of coloured circular spaces, the modifications which the principal colours induce in those which are contiguous to them. Place wafers, circular pieces of paper, or any other con- venient material about an inch and a half in diameter, coloured red, green, orange, blue, greenish-yellow, violet, indigo, and orange-yellow, each separately upon a sheet of white paper ; then tint the white paper around the circle with its complementary colour, gradually softening it off from the coloured circle, when it will be found that The Ked circle tends to colour the surrounding space with its complementary Green. Green „ Orange ,, Blue „ Greenish-yellow Violet „ Indigo „ Orange-yellow Eed. Blue. Orange. Violet. Greenish-yellow. Orange-yellow. Indigo. These figures are designed to exhibit the effects of contrast to those persons who, not having studied phy- sical laws, are, notwithstanding, desirous of under- standing these effects. 18 HAKMONY AND CONTEAST OF COLOUES. CHAPTEE IV. On the Juxtaposition of Coloured Surfaces with White. 44. When white bodies are viewed simultaneously with coloured bodies contiguous to them, they are sen- sibly modified. I confess that the modification is too feeble to be determined with absolute certainty while we are ignorant of the law of contrast ; but, under- standing that, and knowing the modifications that white undergoes in connexion with certain colours, we shall not fail to recognise this modification in special cases, pro- vided the colours opposed to the white be not too deep. Red and White. 45. Green, complementary to Eed, being added to White, the Eed appears more brilliant and deeper. Orange and White. 46. Blue, complementary to Orange, being added to White, the Orange appears more brilliant and deeper. Greenish-Yellow and White. 47. Violet, complementary to Greenish-yellow, being added to White, the Yellow appears more brilliant and deeper. Green and White. 48. Eed, complementary to Green, being added to White, the Green appears more brilliant and deeper. Blue and White. 49. Orange, complementary to Blue, being added to White, the Blue appears more brilliant and deeper. i PLATE IV. Pa ye 17 , I ! / 1 i COLOUES WITH WHITE. 19 Indigo and White. 50. Yellowisli-orange, complementary to Indigo, being added to White, the Indigo appears more brilliant and deeper. Violet and White. 51. Yellowish-green, complementary to Violet, being added to White, the Violet appears more brilliant and deeper. Blaclc and White. 52. Black and white, which may be considered in some respects complementary to each other, become, conformably to the law of contrast of tone, more different than when seen separately. This results from the effect of the white light, which is reflected by the black (4), being more or less destroyed by the light of the white stripe. By an analogous action, the white heightens the tone of the colours to which it is contiguous. CHAPTER V. On the Juxta'position of Coloured Bodies with Black. (See Plate 9, Page 54.) 53. A BLACK surface being deeper than that which is contiguous to it, the contrast of tone tends to deepen it still more, while it tends to lower the tone of the con- tiguous colour : as on the other hand white, placed in juxtaposition with it, would heighten it. So much for contrast of tone. 54. Black surfaces reflect a small quantity of white light (4), and this falling upon the retina simultaneously with the coloured light of a contiguous body, it is evi- dent that the black surface must appear tinted with the 20 HARMONY AND CONTRAST OF COLOURS. complementary of the coloured light ; but it will be a weak tint, since it is displayed upon a ground which has but a feeble power of reflecting light. So much for the contrast of colour. 5o. The lowering of the tone of the colour contiguous to the black is constantly observed ; but a very remark- able fact is the weakening of the black itself, when the contiguous colour is deep, and of a nature to give a luminous complementary, as orange, orange-yellow, greenish-yellow, &c. lied and Black 56. Green (the complementary of Eed), when placed by the side of Black, makes it appear Eeddish. The Eed looks clearer, partaldng less of Orange. Orange and Black 57. A Blue (the complementary of Orange), when placed by the side of Black, causes it to appear less brilliant, or somewhat rusty, while Orange by the side of Black appears more brilliant in colour. Greenish-Yellow and Black 58. Greenish-yellow (the complementary of Violet), when placed by the side of Black, gives it a Violet tint, whilst the Greenish-yellow becomes clearer and more Green ; but there are some kinds of Yellow which are weakened by the side of Black. Green and Black 59. Eed (the complementary of Green), when placed by the side of Black, causes the Black to appear more Violet or Eeddish ; whilst Green by the side of Black becomes slightly Yellower. PLATE V. Pai^e 17 . the LIBRARlf OF m .. ^ f V. -i p Rr *;^'2 !• sil I »bM}- ; 4 • _ ■ COLOTJKS WITH BI^VCK AND GREY. 21 Blue and Black, GO. Orange (the complementary of Blue)^ when placed by the side of Black, causes it to appear brighter, while the Blue becomes clearer and somewhat Greener. Indigo and Black, 61. Orange-yellow (the complementary of Indigo), placed by the side of Black, causes it to look much brighter. The Indigo also appears brighter. Violet and Black, 62. Violet (the complementary of Greenish-yellow), when placed by the side of Black, lightens it up j whilst the Violet becomes more brilliant and clear, and some- what Keddish. CHAPTEB VI. On the Juxtaposition of Coloured Bodies with Grey, (See Plate 10, Page 58.) 63. As the brilliancy of the light reflected by white bodies is one of the principal causes which render the sight insensible to the modifications produced in white by the juxtaposition of coloured bodies and, on the other hand, as the feeble light reflected from black bodies is unfavourable to our perception of the modifications which they sustain from the proximity of coloured bodies, especially when the complementary of the colour of these bodies is but slightly luminous, it may be conceived that grey bodies, judiciously selected with regard to their depth of tone, would, by contiguity to coloured bodies, exhibit the phenomena of contrast of colour in a more striking manner than either black or white bodies would. 22 HABMONY AND CONTEAST OF COLOUES. J^ed and Grey. 64. Grey appears Greenish by receiving the influence- of its complementary Eed. The Eed appears purer, less Orange perhaps. Orange and Grey. 65. Grey appears Bluer by receiving the influence of its complementary Orange. The Orange appears purer, more brilliant. Yellower perhaps. Yellow and Grey. 66. Grey appears to incline to Violet by receiving the influence of its complementary Yellow. The Yellow appears more brilliant, and yet less Green. Green and Grey. 67. Grey appears to incline to Eed by receiving the Influence of its complementary Green. The Green appears more brilliant. Yellower perhaps. I^lue and Grey. 68. Grey appears to incline to Orange by receiving the: influence of its complementary Blue. The Blue appears more brilliant. Greener perhaps. Indigo and Grey. 69. Grey appears to incline to Orange by receiving the influence of its complementary Blue. The Blue appears more brilliant. Greener perhaps. Violet and Grey. 70. Grey appears Yellowish by receiving the influence- of its complementary Violet. COLOUES WITH BLACK, ETC. 2a Violet appears fresher, less dull. 70a. The grey, which was the subject of the above experiments, was as free as possible from every colouring matter foreign to black; it belonged to the scale of normal black (see Part II., 164) — that is to say, it re- sulted from a mixture of the purest possible black and white materials. By juxtaposition with white, it ap- peared deeper, and the white appeared more pure ; while by juxtaposition with black, it appeared lighter and more rusty, and the black appeared deeper. 7 05. One result of the complementaries of colours in juxtaposition with grey being more perceptible than when these colours are juxtaposed with white or black, is, that if instead of a normal grey, we juxtapose a grey, tinted either with red, orange, yellovj, &c., these tints will be greatly heightened by the complementaries added to them. For example, a bluish grey will receive a very perceptible increase of blue from its proximity to orange, and a yellowish-grey will take a perceptible green tint from the same proximity. Note . — The chemical nature of coloured substances has no influence upon the phenomena of simultaneous contrast, 71. The chemical nature of coloured bodies in juxta- position has no influence upon the modiflcations of their colours. Whatever may happen to be the chemical com- position of the coloured bodies, provided they be iden- tical to the sight, they yield the same results. I need only cite the following examples : — Indigo, Prussian blue, co- balt, ultramarine, as nearly alike as possible, gave the same sort of modification ; orange prepared from red lead, an- notto, or a mixture of woad and madder, caused the vSame modification of the colours to which they were adjacent. 24: HARMONY AND CONTRAST OF COLOURS. CHAPTEH VII. O 71 the Juxtaposition of Coloured Bodies helonging to the Colours of the same Group of Coloured Rays, 72. Whenever there is a great difference between two contiguous colours, the difference becomes still more appreciable by putting the same colour successively in juxtaposition with the various colours belonging to the same group. For example, orange and red. Orange being placed beside scarlet-red, pure red and orimson-red, it will be seen that the red acquires a purple and the orange a yellow tint. Violet being placed beside scarlet-red, pure red and crimson-red, gives analogous results : the violet always appears bluer, and the red yellower or less purple. 73. These observations explain why we obtain results in accordance with the formula, even when such coloured substances are used as are far from exhibiting pure colours, namely, stained papers or stuffs. 74. The juxtaposition of coloured stripes is a means of demonstrating the difficulty of determining the types of pure colours by common pigments ; at least, if we do not take into consideration the law of simultaneous con- trast. For instance — 1. Place red in contact with orange-red; the first will appear purple and the second yellower, as above ; but if the first red be placed beside purplish-red, the latter will appear bluish, and the former more yellow or orange ; so that the same red will be purple in one case and orange in the other 2 . Place yellow beside orange-yellow, the former COLOURS OF THE SAME GROUP. 25 will appear greenish and the latter redder ; but if you put the first yellow beside a greenish-yellow, the last will appear greener, and the yellow more orange ; so that the sarne yellow will incline to green in one case, and to orange in the other. 3 . Place blue beside greenish-blue, the former will incline to violet, and the second will appear yellower. Put the same blue beside a violet-blue, the former will incline to green, and the second will appear redder ; so that the same blue will be violet in one case and greenish in the other. 75. Hence we see that the colours which painters term simple — red, yellow, and blue — pass insensibly by juxtaposition into the condition of compound colours, since the same red is purple or orange ; the same yellow is orange or green ; and the same blue is green or violet. CHAPTER VIII. On the Application of the Law of Contrast to the Hypo- thesis that Red, Yellow, and Blue are the only Primary Colours ; and that Orange, Green, Indigo, and Violet are Secondary or Composite Colours, 7 6 . The experiments to which I have just applied the principle of the modification which colours undergo by juxtaposition, and the explanation consequent upon the manner in which white light has been considered, are also clearly explained in the language of painters and dyers, who admit of only three primary colours — red, yeUow, and blue. As there are persons who, while they hold this opinion, desire, notwithstanding, to give a reason for the phenomena resulting from the juxtaposition 26 HAEMONY AND CONTEAST OF COLOUES. of colours, I will explain them in accordance with this language ; and, for greater clearness, I make five groups of juxtaposed colours, beginning with those which include the observations to which the preceding law is most easily applied. I shall presume that orange is composed of red and yellow, green of yellow and blue, indigo and violet of red and blue. Fiest Geoup. — Two Secondary Colours having a Simple Colour as a Common Element It is very easy to verify the law when we look at two colours which form part of the group : we see that by their reciprocal influence they lose more or less of the colour which is common to them. It is evident that they become more unlike each other in proportion to this loss* 1. Orange and Green. — These colours having the ele- ment yellow in common, lose it by juxtaposition. The orange appears redder, and the green bluer. 2. Orange and Indigo. — These colours having the element red in common, lose it by juxtaposition. The orange appears yellower, and the indigo greener. 3. Orange and Violet. — Like the preceding. 4. Green and Indigo. — These colours having the ele- ment blue in common, lose it by juxtaposition. The orange appears yellower, and the indigo bluer. 5. Green and Violet. — Like the preceding. Second Geoup. — A Compound Colour, and a Simple Colour, tvhich is found in the Compound. Plate 6. 1. Orange and Red. — The orange loses red, and ap- pears yellower ; the red becomes bluer, to differ as much as possible from the orange. 2. Violet and Red. — The violet loses red, and ap- I PLATE VI. l\uje 2(i. APPLICATIONS OF THE LAW. 27 pears bluer ; the red becomes yellower, to differ as much as possible from the violet. 3. Indigo and Red. — Like the preceding. 4. Orange and Yellow. — The orange loses yellow, and appears redder ; the yellow becomes bluer, to differ as much as possible from the orange. 5. Green and Yellow. — The green loses yellow, and appears bluer; the yellow becomes redder, to differ more from the green. 6. Green and Blue. — The green loses blue, and ap- pears yellower; the blue becomes redder, to differ as much as possible from the green. 7 Violet and Blue. — The violet loses blue, and ap- pears redder ; the blue must become yellower to differ as much as possible from the violet. 8. Indigo and Blue. — Like the two preceding. Thied Gkoup. Two Simple Colours. (See 6, 7 .) 1. Red and Yellow. — Eed in losing yellow appears bluer ; and the yellow losing red appears bluer ; or, in other words, the red inclines to purple, and the yellow to green. 2. Red and Blue. — The red in losing blue appears yellower ; and the blue losing red appears yellower ; or, in other words, the red inclines to orange, and the blue to green. 3. Yellow and Blue. — The yellow in losing blue ap- pears redder; and the blue losing yellow appears more violet ; or, in other words, the yellow inclines to orange, and the blue to violet. Foheth Geoup . — Two Compound Colours consisting of the same Simple Colours. Indigo and Violet. — As indigo differs from violet only 28 HARMONY AND CONTRAST OF COLOURS. in containing more blue in proportion to red, it follows that the difference will be greatest when the indigo loses red and inclines to greenish blue, while the violet, by gaining red, inclines toward that colour. It is clear that, if the violet lost red, or if the indigo acquired it, the two colours would approximate 3 but, as they differ from each other, the first effect ensues. We may further explain the preceding phenomena by considering indigo relatively to violet, as blue ; then it v/ill lose its blue, which is common to both colours, and incline to green 3 while the violet, also losing its blue, will appear redder. Fifth Group. — A Compound Colour^ and a Simple Colour^ which is not found in the Compound. I. Orange and Blue. 2. Green and Orange. 3. Violet and Greenish Yellow. Upon the hypothesis that orange, green, and violet are compound colours, and that red, blue, and yeUow are simple, it follows that in opposing them in the order in which they are reciprocally complementary, and supposing also that the colours so juxtaposed are entirely free from any foreign colour, there appears no reason for the compound colour losing one of its ele- ments rather than another, or for the simple colour being unlike one of the elementary colours rather than another. For instance, in the juxtaposition of green and red, we see no reason why green should pass into blue rather than into yellow, or why the red should in- cline to blue rather than to yellow. VARIOUS KINDS OF CONTRAST. 29 SECTION II. ON THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN SIMULTANEOUS, SUCCES- SIVE, AND MIXED CONTRAST OF COLOURS, AND ON THE CONNEXION BETWEEN THE EXPERIMENTS MADE BY THE AUTHOR, AND THOSE PREVIOUSLY MADE BY OTHER OBSERVERS. DISTINCTION BETWEEN SIMULTANEOUS, SUCCESSIVE, AND MIXED CONTRAST OF COLOURS. 77. Before speaking of tlie relation of my experi- ments to those made by others on the contrast of colours, we must distinguish three classes of contrast. The first includes those relating to the contrast which I term simultaneous; the second to that which I term successive ; and the third to that which I term mixed. 7 8. Simultaneous contrast of colours includes that pheno- mena of modification which objects variously coloured seem to undergo in physical composition, and in the depth of tone of their respective colours, when seen at the same time. 79. Successive contrast of colours includes the pheno- mena observed when the eyes having looked for some time at one or more coloured objects, perceive, after having ceased to look at them, images of those objects, presenting the colour complementary to that of the actual object. 80. This distinction also facilitates the understanding of the phenomena which may be called mixed contrast ; for, the retina having seen a certain colour for some time, has an aptitude to see for a further time the complementary of that colour, as well as any new colour presented by an external object ; the sensation perceived being the result of this new colour, and the complementary of the first. For want of this distinction, one of the branches of optics most fertile in applications, has not been treated with the clearness and precision which are necessary to show its importance to those who have not experimented upon it. 30 HARMONY AND CONTRAST OF COLOURS. 81. The following is a simple mode of observing mixed contrast : — Having closed one eye, the right for example, look steadily with the left at a sheet of paper of a colour A ; when this colour seems to become dull, look immediately at a sheet of paper of the colour B, the eye then has the impression produced by the mixture of this colour B with the complementary (C) of the colour A. 82. To be convinced of this mixed sensation, it is only necessary to shut the left eye, and to look at the colour B with the right eye ; when the sensation perceived is not only that of the colour B, but it may appear modified in the contrary way to that of the mixed sensation C + B, or what is the same, it appears to be rather A + B. 83. Upon shutting the right eye, and looking again at the colour B with the left eye, and that many times in succession, different sensations are successively per- ceived, but more and more feebly, until at length the left eye returns to its normal state. 84. I advise any person who thinks that one of his ■eyes is more able to perceive colours than the other, to look at a sheet of paper alternately with the right and left eye ; if the sensations of each are identical, he may conclude that he has deceived himself. And even if the sensations be different, the experiment should be repeated several times, successively, for the diflPerence observed in a single experiment might be occasioned by one of the ■eyes having been previously modified or fatigued. 85. This practice appears to me especially useful to painters. I now give some examples of mixed contrast. 86. The left eye, having looked for some time at red, has an aptitude to see afterwards green, the com- plementary of red. If then it be attracted by yellow, it perceives a sensation resulting from the mixture of green and yellow. The left eye being shut, and the MIXED CONTRi».ST. 31 right eye, which has not been r modified by the sight of red, being opened, it sees yellr vV, and it is possible that this yellow may appear more orange than it is really. 87. If the left eye and had after- the latter would had first seen wards seen have seemed Yellow Eed Violet. 88. Eed Blue Greenish. 89. Blue Eed Orange-red. 90. Yellow Blue Blue-violet. 91. Blue Yellow Orange-yellow. 92. Eed Orange Y ellow. 93. Orange Eed Eed-violet. 94. Eed Violet Deep blue. 95. Violet Eed Orange-red. 96. Yellow Orange Eed. 97. Orange Yellow Greenish-yellow. 98. Yellow Green Bluish-green. 99. Green Yellow Orange-yellow. 100. Blue Green Yellow-green. 101. Green Blue Blue-violet. 102. Blue Violet Eeddish-violet. 103. Violet Blue Greenish-blue. 104. Orange Green Bluish-green. 105. Green Orange Eeddish-orange. 106. Orange Violet Bluish-violet. 107. Violet Orange Y ellowish-orangei 108. Green Violet Eed-violet. 109. Violet Green Yellow-green. 110. Eed Green Bluer. 111. Green Eed Tinted-violet. 112. YeUow Violet A little bluer. 113. Violet Yellow Greenish. 114. Blue Orange Yellower. 115. Orange Blue More violet. D 32 HARMONY AND CONTRAST OF COLOURS. 116. I should observe that all these colours, at least to my eyes, did not uiidei jo equally intense or equally continuous modifications. For instance, the modifica- tion produced by the successive view of yellow and violet, or of violet and yellow, is stronger and more durable than that produced by the successive view of blue and orange, and still more than that of orange and blue. The modification produced by the successive view of red and green, of green and re^, is but slight, and not enduring. I may also add that the depth of tone exercises some influence on the modification ; for, if after looking at orange, we look at dark blue, the latter will appear greenish rather than violet, a result contrary to that afforded by a light blue. 117. I have thought it the more necessary to men- tion under a special name the phenomenon which I call mixed contrast, as it explains certain facts remarked by dealers in coloured fabrics, as well as the inconvenience felt by painters, who, wishing to produce an exact imita- tion of their models, look at them so long as to be unable to perceive their tones and modifications. I will men- tion two facts which have been communicated to me by manufacturers, referring the reader to Part II. for the •application of the study of mixed contrast to painting. 118. First Fact. When a purchaser has looked a long time at a yellow cloth, and he is then shown an orange, orange-red, or scarlet one, he finds it dull, and judges it to be a dark or crimson-red ; because the retina affected by the yellow has a tendency to see violet ; and hence all the yellow of the orange colour disappears, and the •eye sees it as a red, or a red inclining to violet. 119. Second Fact. If there be presented to a pur- MIXED CONTRAST. 33 •chaser, one after another, fourteen pieces of a red fabric, he judges the six or seven last pieces to be less beautiful than the first, although they may be all identical. What is the reason of this false judgment ? It is, that the eyes which have seen six or eight red pieces in succes- sion, are in the same condition as if they had looked steadily for the same length of time at a single red stuff, — having a tendency to see the complementary of red, that is green. This tendency necessarily enfeebles the brilliancy of the red of the last pieces. The dealer, therefore, that he may not be a sufferer from the fatigued eyes of his customer, after showing him a few red pieces, should present some green ones, to restore the eyes to their normal state. If the view of the green were suffi- ciently prolonged to pass the normal state, the eyes would acquire a tendency to see red, and then the pieces seen last would appear more beautiful than the rest. 34 HABMONY AND CONTBAST OF COLOUBS. PAET THE SECOND. ON THE APPLICATION OF THE LAW OF SIMULTANEOUS CONTRAST OF COLOURS. INTRODUCTION. 120. Before entering into the details of these applica- tions, I think it necessary to offer some considerations which will enable me to establish some propositions or principles, to which I shall have frequent occasion to- refer. I propose to give — 121. 1. Definitions of several expressions applicable to colours and their modifications. 2. The means of representing and defining colours and their modifications by the aid of diagrams. 3. A classification of the har- monies of colours. 4. A view of some arrangements of the primary colours with white, black, and grey. SECTION I. Definition of ilie words Tones, Scales, and Hues. 122. The words Tones and Hues recur continually, both in common language and in that of artists ; yet they are not so well defined as to be free from am- biguity, or to be well understood. 123. The word tone of a colour will be employed exclusively to designate the various modifications which that colour, in its greatest intensity, is capable of receiv- ing from white, which lowers its tone, or of black, which heightens it. 124. The word scale will be applied to the assem- DEFIXITIONS. 35 fblage of tones of the same colour, thus modified. The pure colour is the normal tone of the scale, if the normal tone does not belong to a broken or reduced scale — i.e., to a scale, of which all the tones are made dull with black (149). 125. The word hue will be applied exclusively to the modifications which a colour receives from the addition of a small quantity of another. We shall speak, for example, of the tones of the blue scale, the tones of the red scale, &c. We say the hues of blue to designate all the scales whose colours, still remaining blue, yet differ from pure blue : each hue comprehending the tones which constitute a scale more or less allied to the blue scale. 126. I have defined the tones of a colour to be the various modifications, which that colour at its maximum of intensity is capable of receiving from black and white ; it must be observed that the condition maximum of in- tensity for receiving black,” is absolutely essential to this definition ; for if black be added to a tone below the maximum, it would pass into another scale. Artists distinguish colours as pure, broken, reduced, grey, or dull. 127. Pure colours are those termed simple, red, yellow, blue, and those which result from their binary compounds, orange, green, violet, and their hues. (150.) Broken eolours are the pure colours mixed with black, from the tone of the lightest to the deepest. According to these definitions, it is evident that in all the scales of simple and binary colours, the tones which are above the pure colour are broken tones. 128. Artists, and especially painters and dyers, admit lhat the mixture of three primary colours, in a certain 36 HAKMONY AND CONTRAST OF COLOURS. proportion, gives black ; hence, when these three* colours are so mixed that two predominate, black will result, formed from the union of the whole of the colour, which is in small quantity, within suitable pro- portions of the two predominant colours. For example, if blue be mixed with red and yellow, a little black is produced, which reduces or hreciks the orange. 129. We must remember that the ‘primary colours of painters are not those of the prismatic spectrum, but substances employed by them, as red, yellow, and blue colours. SECTION II. Of Diagrams designed to Represent and Define Colours and their Modifications, 130. Various contrivances have been proposed under the titles of Tables, Scales, Colour-Circles, Chromato- meters, &c., for representing either by numbers or a rational nomenclature, colours and their modifications. They are generally founded on these three propositions :• — 1. There are three primary colours. 2. Equal portions of these colours being mixed, produce pure secondary colours. 3. Equal portions of the three primary colours produce black. 131. But we know of no substance w^hich exhibits pure colour ; that is, which reflects only one kind of coloured rays, whether pure red, pure yeliov/, or pure blue. And since it is impossible to procure pure colouring matters, how can it be said that orange, green, and violet are composed of two simple colours mixed in equal proportions'? Or that black consists of a mixture of equal parts of three simple colours^ i V CKbt.N PLATE VII. Page 36 . CHROMATIC DIAGRAMS. 37 These chromatic tables, SECTION IV. AssoriTTients of Red fir ange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Violet with White, Black, and Grey. 174. It will not be useless to the object of this work to introduce some observations relative to the degree of beauty of certain arrangements of the primitive colours with black, white, and grey. But I cannot too strongly insist upon the fact, that they are not given as a rigorous deduction from scientific rules, for they are only the expression of my particular taste ; yet I hope that many classes of artists, especially dressmakers, decorators of all kinds, designers of patterns for woven fabrics, paper- hangings, e- cause, if there be in the latter red neai this defect is more than compensated in 3, by the predominance of sombre colours over the red. 208. 1. Orange-Yellow, &c. 2. .^^ack, Orange^ Yellow, white, be preferred to No. 2, 1 think that in the arrange ment 3, the black produces a superior effect to the white. 209. 1. Orange, Green, &c. 2. Blade., Orange, Green, in order to make it evident that the painter is liable to see the colours of his model inaccurately. As the eye, ] after observing one colour for a certain time, has ac- quired a tendency to see its complementary, and as this ; tendency is of some duration, it follows, not only that ; the eyes of the painter thus affected cannot see correctly ; the colour which he had for some time looked at, but \ also whatever colour he sees while this modifying influ- ence lasts. So that, conformably to what we know of liiixed contrast, he will see, — not the colour which is before him, — but the result of this colour, and of the com- plementary of th at seen previously. It must be remarked, that besides the want of clearness of view which will arise, in most cases, from the want of exact coincidence of the second image with the first — for example, when the eye has seen a sheet of green paper A (Plate III., fig. 4), in the first place, and, in the second place, a sheet of blue paper, B, of the same dimensions, but placed differently, this second image, not being coincident in all its surface USES OF THE LAW OF CONTRAST. 89 with the first, A, as represented in the figure, the eye will see the sheet B violet only in the part where the two images coincide. Consequently, this defect of perfect coincidence of images will affect the outline of the second image, as well as the colour which it really pos- sesses. 319. We can establish three conditions in the ap- pearance of the same object relatively to the state of the eye ; in the first, the organ simply perceives the image of the object without taking into account the distribu- tion of colours, light, and shade ; in the second, the spectator, seeking to understand this distribution, ob- serves it attentively, when the object presents to him all the phenomena of simultaneous contrast of tone and colour that it is capable of exciting in him. In the third case, the organ, from the prolonged impression of the colours, possesses in the highest degree a ten- dency to see the complementary of these colours ; these different states of the organ being continuous. I have no doubt that the duU colouring with which many artists of merit have been reproached is partly due to this cause, as I shall show more minutely here- after. Utility of this Law to facilitate the prompt Imitation of Modifications of Light on the Model, 320. The painter, knowing that the impression of one colour beside another is the result of the mixture of the first with the complementary of the second, has only to estimate mentally the intensity of the influence of this complementary, to reproduce faithfully in his imitation the complex effect which he has before his eyes. 321. A painter wishing to imitate a white stuff with 90 HARMONY AND CONTRAST OF COLOURS. two contiguous borders, one red, the other blue, per- ceives each of them changed by the influence of their reciprocal contrast ; thus the red becomes more and more orange, in proportion as it approaches the blue, as this latter becomes more and more green as it approaches the red. The painter, therefore, making the borders of a single red and a single blue, reduced in some parts by white or by shade, wdll reproduce the effects he wishes to imitate. Whenever it is found that the painting is not sufficiently marked, he is sure of what he must add without departing from the truth, farther than by exag- gerating a little (305). 2. A grey pattern drawn upon a yellow ground : the ground may be of paper, silk, cotton or wool ; ac- cording to its contrast, the design will appear of a lilac or a violet colour (66). The painter who would imitate this object, can re- produce it faithfully with grey. But if a painter, ignorant of the reciprocal influence of blue and red, con- vinced that he must represent what he sees, adds green to his blue, and orange to his red ; as in the second example, he will trace a pattern more or less violet upon the yellow ground. Now, supposing that the painter had perfectly seized the modifications of the model, and, subsequently, had retouched his copy sufficiently ta produce a perfectly faithful effect, it is evident it would have been perfect only after a number of trials, since he must have effaced what was first done. 3. I cite a third example of the influence of contrast, not relating to colours, like the two preceding, but to tho different tones of the same colour, contiguous to each other.. Suppose several bands in juxtaposition, 1, 2, 3, 4 ^ USES OF THE LAW OF CONTRAST. 91 (Plate 1, fig. 3), of different tones in flat tints of the same scale, to form part of an object : to imitate it perfectly, it is evident that it must be painted in flat tints ; but this object will appear to the eye a channeled surface, the lines where the two bands touch will appear like a relief by the eftect of contrast of tone (9 — 11); therefore, if the painter is ignorant of this, he will re- produce, not an absolute copy of the model, but an exaggerated one. I the more willingly cite this example, because it gave me an opportunity of enabling a most skilful paper-stainer to appreciate the utility of the law of simultaneous contrast. In going with him over his factory, he showed me a chimney-board representing a child whose figure stood out from a ground formed of two circular bands in grey flat tints, 1 and 2 (Plate I., fig. 7 ) ; the first was higher than the second ; the phe- nomenon of contrast of tone was manifested at the borders, a a, of the two bands, so that the part of the band 2, contiguous to the band 1, was darker than the rest, as the part of the band 1, contiguous to 2, was lighter than the rest, conformably to what has been stated above (11). This effect, not being what the skilful artist wished to obtain, he inquired of me how it was to be avoided. I replied, that the grey of the band 2 must be reduced with white, in proportion as it approached the border a a ; and, on the contrary, the grey of the band 1 must be strengthened with black, in proper gra- dations, beginning at the same border. And I proved to him, tAat to imitate the model faithfully^ we must copy it differently from what we see it. 322. From the above we educe the six following principles : — 92 HAKMONY AND CONTRAST OF COLOURS. I. Put a colour upon a canvas, it not only colours that part of the canvas to which the pencil has been applied, but it also colours the surrounding space with the complementary of that colour. Thus, a red circle is surrounded with a green areola, becoming weaker as it extends from the circle : — A green circle is surrounded with a red areola. An orange A blue A yellow A violet 3? 33 33 33 3J »3 33 33 blue „ orange „ violet „ yellow „ (See Plates 3, 4, 5 .) 2. White placed beside a colour heightens its tone ; it is as if we took away from the colour the white light which enfeebled its intensity (44 — 52 ), 3. Black placed beside a colour weakens, and in some cases impoverishes, its tone, as upon certain yellows ( 55 ), It is, in fact, adding to black the complementary of the contiguous colour. 4. Put grey beside a colour, the latter is rendered more brilliant, and at the same time it tints this grey with its complementary (63). 323. From this principle it results that in many cases where grey is near to a pure colour in the model, the painter, if he wishes to imitate this grey which appears to him tinted with the complementary of the pure colour, need not use a coloured grey, as the effect will be produced in the imitation by the juxtaposition of the colour with the grey contiguous to it. Besides, the importance of this principle cannot be doubted, when we consider that all the modifications which a monochronous object presents (excepting those RESULTS OF THE LAW OF CONTRAST. 93 wkich result from the reflections of coloured lights emanating from neighbouring objects,) arise from the different relations of position between the parts of the object and the eye of the spectator ; so that it is strictly true to say that, to reproduce by painting all these mo- difications, it suffices to have a colour exactly identical to that of the model, with black and white. In fact, with white we can reproduce aU the modifications due to the weakening of the colour by light, and with black, those which are due to the height of its tone. If the colour of the model in certain parts gives rise to the manifestation of its complementary, because these parts do not return to the eye enough colour and white light to neutralize this manifestation, the modi- fication may be imitated by the employment of a normal-grey tone, properly surrounded with the colour of the object. It is necessary, in many cases, to employ v/ith the colour of the object the colours which are near it ; that is to say, the hues of the colour. For example ; in imitating a rose, we can employ red shaded with a little yellow, and a little blue, or, in other terms, shaded with orange and violet ; but the green shadows which we per- ceive in certain parts arise from the juxtaposition of red and normal grey. 5. To put a dark colour near a different, but lighter colour, is to heighten the tone of the first, and to lower that of the second, independently of the modification resulting from the mixture of the complementaries. An important consequence of this principle is, that the first effect may neutralize the second, or even oppose it. For example ; a light blue placed beside a yellow tinges it orange, and consequently heightens its tone ; w^hile 94 HARMONY AND CONTRAST OF COLOURS. there are some blues, so dark relatively to the yellow, that they weaken it so much as not only to hide the orange tint, but even to cause sensitive eyes to feel that the yellow is rather green than orange. A very natural result, if we consider that the paler the yellow, the greener it appears. 6. Put beside each other two flat tints of different tones of the same colour, chiaro-’scuro is produced, be- cause, in setting out from the line of juxtaposition, the tint of the band of the highest tone is insensibly enfeebled, while, setting out from the same line, the tint of the band of the lowest tone becomes heightened ; thus there is a true gradation of light. The same gradation takes place in all the juxtaposi- tions of colours distinctly separated. I believe that attention to these principles, and espe- cially a perfect knowledge of the consequences of the last three, exercises a very happy influence upon the art of painting, giving to the artist such a knowledge of colours as he cannot possess before the law of their simultaneous contrast and its consequences have been developed. Among the details which the painter endeavours to render, there are many which, due to contrast, either of colour or of tone, must be produced spontaneously. I presume that the Greek painters, whose palette was composed only of black, white, red, yellow, and blue, and who executed so many pictures which their contem- poraries have spoken of with intense admiration, painted conformably to the simple method of which I speak; devoting themselves to great effects, many small ones resulted from them. APPLICATION OF THE LAW OF CONTRAST. 95 Utility of the Law in order to Harmonize those Colours of a Composition which are Inherent to the Nature of the Object represented. 324. In all, or nearly all, compositions of painting, we must distinguish the colours which the painter is under the necessity of using, and those which he may choose, because, unlike the former, they are not inherent to the model (313). For example, in painting a human figure, the colour of the flesh, the eyes, and the hair, are fixed by the model ; but the painter has a choice of draperies, ornaments, background, &c. In an historical picture, the flesh colours are, in the majority of the figures, at the choice of the painter, as are also the draperies and all the accessories, which can be placed and imagined according to his judgment. In a landscape, the colours are determined by the subject, yet not so arbitrarily but that we can substitute for the true colour that of a neighbouring scale ; the artist may choose the colour of the sky, imagine numerous accidental effects, introduce into his composi- tion animals, draped-figures, carriages, &c., of which the form and colour may be so selected as to produce the best possible effect with the actual objects of the scene. 325. A painter may also choose a dominant colour which produces, on every object in his composition, the same effect as if they were illuminated by a light of the same colour, or as if they were seen through a coloured glass (259). 326. Athough the law of contrast affords different methods of imparting value to a colour, genius alone can indicate the mode in which this idea should be realized in a painting. II 96 HARMOKY AND CONTRAST OF COLOURS. 327. Whenever the artist would attract the eye by colours, doubtless the principle of harmony of contrast must be his guide. The law of simultaneous contrast indicates the means of giving value to the pure colours by each other ; means which, although spoken of, are but little known, as may be commonly seen in portraits of vivid colours, badly assorted ; and in those numerous small compositions in tints broken with grey, where we look in vain for a pure tone ; which, however, from the objects represented in them, are eminently adapted to receive ail vivid colours. 328. The contrast of the most opposite colours is as agreeable as possible, when they are of the same tone. But if crudity or too great intensity of colours is feared, we must have recourse to the light tones of their respective scales. 329. When the painter breaks tones with grey, and wishes to avoid monotony, or when on the planes which are more remote, yet not so remote as to render their differences of colour inappreciable, he wishes every part to be as distinct as possible, he must have recourse to the principle of harmony of contrast, and mix his colours with grey. 330. This method of bringing out a colour by con- trast, in using either light tones complementary or more or less opposed, or broken tones more or less grey, and of tints complementary to each other ; or, in employing a broken tone, of a tint complementary to a more or less pure contiguous colour, ought especially to fix the atten- tion of portrait painters. A portrait will have a very poor effect when neither the colour of the dress nor of the background have been well chosen. 331. The portrait-painter must endeavour to find the APPLICATION OF THE LAW. 97 predominating colour in the complexion he has to paint ; and this found and faitlifully reproduced, he has to seek whatever accessories at his disposal will give value to it. It is a very common error to suppose that the complexion in women, to be beautiful, must consist only of red and white : if this opinion be true for most of the women of our temperate climate, it is certain that in warmer regions there are brown, bronzed, or even copper complexions endued with a brilliancy, I may say beauty, appreciated only by those who, in pronouncing upon a new object, lay aside habitual expressions, which (albeit unconsciously to most men), exercise so powerful an influence upon their judgment of objects seen for the first time. See the section in which I have treated of the appli- cation of the law of contrast to dress, (Div. Y.) 332. In order to make the best use of colours without being under the necessity of multiplying them, as, for example, in draperies of a single colour, recourse may be had to the coloured rays emanating from neighbouring bodies, whether visible to the spectator or out of sight. For example, a green or yellow light falling upon part of a blue drapery renders it green, and by contrast heightens the blue-violet tone of the rest ; a golden yellow light falling on part of a purple drapery imparts to it a golden tint, which makes the purple of the rest come out, &c. 333. The principle of harmony of contrast then pro- cures for the painter in chiaro-’scuro the means of realising, with respect to brilliancy of colours and dis- tinction of parts, such effects as are produced in paintings of flat tints. 33-x. Having treated of the utility of the Lw ot 08 HAKMONY AND CONTRAST OF COLOURS. simultaneous contrast in the intelligent use of pure opposite colours, and of colours broken by grey similarly opposed when it is required to multiply pure and varied colours, it now remains for me to treat of those cases in which the painter, desiring less diversity in the object, less variety in the colours, employs sparingly the harmony of contrast, preferring the harmony of scale and the harmony of hues. 335. The greater the variety of colours and accessories in a composition, the more the eyes of the spectator are distracted, and the more difficulty is experienced in fixing attention. If then, this condition of diversity of colours and accessories is obligatory on the artist, the more obstacles there are to surmount in drawing and fixing the attention of the spectator upon the physiognomy of the figures, whether they represent the actors in a single scene, or whether they are simply portraits. In the latter case, if the model has such an ordinary phy- siognomy, as recommends itself neither by its expression nor its beauty, and still more, if he must conceal or dis- semble a natural defect, all that is accessory to this physiognomy, all the resources of contrasted colours, well assorted, should come to his aid. 336. But if, fervently inspired, he appreciates the purity of expression, the nobility and loftiness of cha- racter pertaining to his model ; or even if a physiognomy, to most eyes common-place, strikes him by such an ex- pression as he judges to belong only to men animated by noble ideas, it is to such a model that he will address himself and fix his chief attention ; so that in giving it life upon his canvas, no one can mistake either the resemblance, or the sentiment which directed his pencil- APPLICATIONS OF THE LAW OF CONTRAST. 99 Everything being accessory to the physiognomy, the draperies will be of black or of sombre colours ; and if ornaments relieve them, they will be simple, and always in keeping with the subject. 337. When, in this point of view, we examine the masterpieces of Vandyke, and trace the beauty of their effect to the simplicity of the means which produce it, — when we consider the elegance of their attitudes, which always appear natural, the taste which presided over the selection of all the accessories, we are struck with admi- ration of the genius of the artist, who has not had recourse to those means, so much abused at the present day, of attracting attention, either by giving to the most vulgar person an heroic attitude, to the most common- place physiognomy pretension to profound thought, or by seeking extraordinary effects of light, such as filling the figure with a strong light, while the rest of the com- position is in shade. 338. These reflections indicate the course which an historical painter must take, when he would particularly fix the attention upon the physiognomy of the persons in a remarkable scene. The more he employs allied scales, the more care he must take to select such as do not lose too much by their mutual juxtaposition. 339. There is another important direction to give, which is to avoid as much as possible the same kind of images on different objects ; thus figures clothed in draperies with large flower patterns, in a room where the carpet and porcelain vases repeat the same images, are never free from objection, for it is trouble- some to the eye to distinguish those parts of the picture which the similarity of ornaments tends to confound. 100 HAEMONY AND CONTRAST OF COLOURS. Upon tlie same principle, the painter must generally avoid placing beside the faithful copy of a model the copy of an imitation which repeats this model. For example, when he paints a vase of flowers, the artist produces most effect, other things being equal, in paint- ing a vase of grey or white porcelain, instead of a vase upon which a profusion of similar objects are its orna- ments. 340. When it is required that a certain colour shall predominate in a composition, or to speak more correctly, when the scene is illuminated by a coloured light, shed over every object, we must not only take simultaneous contrast into consideration, but also the modification which results from the mixture of colours (172), com- prising the recomposition of white light by means of a proper proportion of the diflerently coloured elementary rays. 341. We must here attentively study the article which treats of the principal cases of the modifications of light resulting from coloured rays falling upon bodies of various colours (261, et seq.), when, although the co- loured light chosen imparts value to certain colours of the objects upon which it falls, it also impoverishes and even neutralizes others. Consequently, in emplo3ring any predominant colour, we must renounce the advantages of others, or the effect produced will be false. For example : if orange colour predominates, for the colour- ing to be true it must necessarily follow — T . That the purples must be more or less red. 2. That the reds must be more or less scarlet. 3. That the scarlets must be more or less yellow. 4. That the orange must be more intense, more vivid* DISTRIBUTION OF COLOURS. 101 5 . That the yellows must be more or less intense, and orange. 6. That the greens lose their blue, and consequently become yellower. 7. That the light blues become more or less light grey. 8. That the deep indigo becomes more or less maroon. 9. That the violets lose some of their blue. Thus we see that orange light heightens all the colours which contain red and yellow, while, neutralizing a por- tion of blue in proportion to its intensity, it destroys wholly or partially this colour in the body which it illuminates, and consequently disturbs the greens and the violets. 342. With reference to the true imitation of colouring, it appears to me that painters of interiors, have, other things being equal, more skill than historical painters in faithfully reproducing the modifications of light. His- torical painters, attaching more importance to the atti- tudes and physiognomy of their figures than to the other parts of their composition, attend less to small details, the faithful imitation of which is the essential merit of the painter of interiors. Besides, the historical painter is never in a position to see the whole of the scene he would represent, while the painter of interiors, having constantly his model before him, sees it completely, as he imitates it upon the canvas. Hence, therefore, in every small composition the colours, as well as the ob- jects represented, must be distributed with a kind of symmetry, so as to avoid being what I can best express by the term spotty. In fact, for want of a good distri- bution of objects, the canvas will not be filled in some parts, or, if it is, there will be, in many places, evident 102 HiA^RMONY A^D CONTRAST OF COLOURS. confusion ; so also if tlie colours be not properly distri- buted, the picture will be spotty, because they are too far isolated from the others. (See 249 — 251.) 343. I believe that those painters who will study the mixed and simultaneous contrasts of colours, in order to employ rationally the coloured elements of their palette, will perfect themselves in absolute colouring as by studying the principles of geometry they perfect them- selves in linear perspective. I have no doubt but that the difficulty encountered by painters ignorant of the law of <;ontrast, of faithfully imitating their model, has been with many the cause of a colouring dull and inferior to that of artists, who, less careful than they in the fidelity of imi- tation, or not so well organized for seizing all the modi- fications of light, have worked more by their first im- pressions, or, in other words, seeing the model more rapidly, their eyes have not had time to become fatigued ; and thus, content with the imitation which they have made, they have not returned to their work too often to modify, to efface, and afterwards to reproduce it upon a canvas soiled by the colours first put on. There are, indeed, many painters, to whom the maxim, Let well alone,” is peculiarly applicable. Second Division. Imitation of Coloured Objects by Materials of a Definite Size, as Threads, 344. The tapestriesr of Gobelins and of Beauvais, and also the carpets of Savonnerie, and certain very elaborate mosaics, may all be considered as works which resemble the method of painting in chiaro-scuro ; while the win- dows of Gothic churches correspond more or less exactly CaLOURED TEXTILE FABRICS.- 103 to painting in flat-tints ; so also with tapestries for fur- niture and carpets, which, instead of being fabricated with scales of at least sixteen or eighteen tones, as they are in the royal manufactories, are composed with scales consisting of three or four tones only, and, far from imi- tating the effects of chiaro- scuro, the coloured objects produced present to the eye only small monochromous bands of a single tone. 345. There are also some works whose coloured designs are upon a kind of mixed system, being the result of the juxtaposition of monochromous single tinted parts, of a visible size, but in which the effects of chiaro-scuro are sought by using gradations of scale or a mixture of hues; such are ordinary mosaics, carpets, embroidered tapestries, &c. 346. In the patterns of tapestries and carpets, when the principal effects to be aimed at have been determined, it may be seen what points of ordinary painting may be sacrificed to obtain them, and what must be done for perfecting the special portion of their imitation. Be- ginning with the physical condition of the coloured elements the weaver employs, and the texture of the tapestry, we see the necessity of representing in this kind of work only large, well-defined objects, and espe- cially such as are remarkable for the brilliancy of their colours. The patterns for hangings must recommend themselves more by the opposition of their colours than by the minute finish of their details. To pretend to rival painting in these manufactures is to establish a confusion most detrimental to the progress of arts, absolutely distinct from painting, both in their purpose and their means of execution. 347. The principles truly essential to these arts of 104 HAUMONY AND CONTRAST OF COLOURS. imitation being once deduced from the peculiarities of each, it becomes easy to point out by what efforts we may hope to obtain true perfection. CHAPTEE L ON THE ELEMENTS OF GOBELINS TAPESTRY. 348. To make mixtures of coloured threads intelli- gently, we must be guided by the three following rules : — The first two resulting directly from observation of facts ; the third being the natural deduction from the facts comprised in the two former. EuLE I. — THE BINARY MIXTURE OF PRIMARY COLOURS. When we unite Red with Yellow, Red with Blue, Yellow with Blue, the threads must not reflect a perceptible quantity of the third primary colour, if we woidd have Orange, Violet, and Green as hrilliant as it is possible, by this method, to obtain. Example A . — Red and Yellow, Plate 11. 3 Eed threads with 1 Yellow thread, 2 1 33 33 1 1 33 33 3 YcUow 3 ) 1 Eed „ 2 33 1 ,, yield mixtures which appear to the eye in proportion to the two colours mixed. There is no appearance of grey in any of these mixtures, when we employ a red more inclining to orange than to crimson, and a yellow more inclining to orange than to green. PLATE XI Fa(je 104 . MIXTURES OF COLOURED THREADS. 105 B. — Red and Blue, 3 Eed threads with 1 Blue thread, 2 33 I 33 33 1 93 1 99 39 3 Blue 33 1 Eed „ 2 33 I 33 33 yield mixtures which appear to the eye in proportion to the two colours mixed. If we use a red and ^ blue inclining to violet, the mixture will contain no grey. C. — Yellow and Blue. 4 Blue threads with 1 Yellow thread, ^ JJ 1 39 39 33 33 33 33 1 33 33 f 33 33 give mixtures which appear to the eye in the proportions of the two colours mixed. If we use yellow and a blue inclining to green more than to red, the mixture will contain little or no grey. Experiment on all the preceding mixtures demon- strates the rule above ; or rather, this rule is but the expression of a generalization of facts. EuLE II. — THE MIXTURE OF COMPLEMENTARY COLOURS. 349. When we mix Red with Green, Orange with Blue, Yellow with Violet, the colours are more or less completely neutralked, according as they are more or less perfectly complementary to exudi other, and as they are mixed in proper proportions. The result is a grey, the tone of which is generally higher than that of the colours mixed, if the latter are of a suitably high tow\ lOG HARMONY AND CONTRAST OP COLOURS. Examples. — Red and Green. Plate 12. 3 Eed threads with 1 Green thread give a dull Ked. 2 Pi-ed threads with 1 Green thread give a duller and a deeper Eed. 1 Eed thread with 1 Green thread give a Eeddish- grey. The tone a little higher than the preceding. 3 Green threads with 1 Eed thread give a Green Grey, the tone higher than the Green or the Eed. 2 Green threads with 1 Eed thread give a Grey, less Green, and of a higher tone than the two colours. In repeating the same mixtures with higher tones of the same scales of Green and Eed, the tone of the mixture of 2 Green with 1 Eed is higher relatively to that of the colours mixed, than it is in the mixtures above. 1 Eed thread and 1 Yellowish-green thread give a Carmelite-brown or an Orange-grey, the tone of which is-^ equal to that of the colours mixed. 1 Eed thread and 1 Bluish-green thread give a copper- coloured mixture or catechu-brown of a higher tone than that of the colours mixed. Hence we may conclude that red and green threads, properly assorted, and in suitable proportions, yield Grey. Orange and Blue. 3 Orange threads with 1 Blue thread give a dull Orange. 2 Orange „ 1 „ 1 Orange „ 1 „ 3 Blue „ 1 Orange 2 Blue „ 1 Orange Eedder than the preceding. a duller Orange. Chocolate-grey. Violet-grey. Violet-grey. PLATE XII ft? MIXTURES OF COLOURED THREADS. 107 The results are the same with deeper tones than the preceding, except that the corresponding mixtures are browner. 3 orange threads with 3 blue threads present a re- markable phenomenon, according to the intensity of the light and the position from which it is observed. The tapestry being placed in a vertical plane before the incident light when the warp is horizontal, we perceive hlue and orange stripes ; but if the warp is vertical, we may then see the upper part of each blue stripe violet, and its under part, as well as the upper part of each orange stripe green, while the rest of each of the latter will appear red, bordered on the lower part with yelloiu. We may also see the upper part of each blue stripe, violet, and its under part, as well as the upper part of each orange stripe, green, and the rest of each of these stripes red, bordered on the lower part with green, and in the upper part with yellow. We say that they may be seen in this manner, because if the light were strong, enough for distinct vision, we should not see the hori- zontal blue and orange stripes. Yellow and Violet. 3 Yellow threads with 1 Violet give a Greyish-yellow, 2 „ „ 1 Violet „ Yellow-grey. 1 „ „ 1 Violet „ Grey, much nearer normal grey than the preceding. 3 Violet threads and 1 Yellow give a Greyish-violet. 2 „ „ 1 Yellow „ dull Violet, greyer than the preceding. It is remarkable that in the mixture of a yellovr with a violet thread, seen from a greater distance than that 108 HAEMONY AND CONTKAST OF COLOUES. at wHch they appear neutralized, the yellow is so much weakened in proportion to the violet, that the mixture appears of a dull violet. Yellow and blue afford an analogous result. Rule III. — the mixture of the three primary COLOURS IN SUCH PROPORTIONS THAT THEY DO NOT BECOME NEUTRALIZED, BECAUSE ONE OR THE OTHER OP THEM IS IN EXCESS. 350. When Blue, Red, and Yellow are combined in such proportions that they do not neutralize each other, the result is a colour much greyer or more broken than if the proportion of complementary colour were more equal. As Red mixed with a Greenish-yellow gives a Car- melite mixture, I shall add the following : — 1. Crimson-red and greenish-yellow give mixtures so much duller as these colours more nearly neutralize each other. A mixture of one crimson-red with one greenish- yellow thread produces a brick or copper-orange, the tone of which is higher than that of the colours mixed. 2. Scarlet-red and greenish-blue give mixtures which are without vigour or purity, relatively to the correspond- ing mixtures made with crimson-red and violet-blue. 3. Red and blue-grey give violet mixtures, which are not so dull as the preceding, because the colours contain no yellow. 4. The red of the mixture 3, worked with a green- grey, gives mixtures much duller than the preceding, as might have been expected, on account of the yellow con- tained in the green-grey. 5. Orange and blue-violet give very dull mixtures. EXAMPLES OF CONTKAST. 109 6. Orange and red- violet give dull mixtures, but redder or less blue than the preceding. ox THE PKIXCIPLE OF CONTRAST IN CONNEXION -WITH THE PRODUCTION OF TAPESTRY. 351. The tapestry-weaver should therefore thoroughly understand the effects of contrast, to know the influence which the , part of the copy he proposes to imitate receives from the colours surrounding it, and so judge what coloured threads to choose. The following exam- ples v/ill explain better than the most profound reasoning the necessity for the tapestry-worker to possess a know- ledge of the law of contrast. First Example. 352. If there be two coloured stripes in a picture, one red the other blue, touching each other, the phenomenon of contrast between two contiguous colours would have arisen, had not the painter sustained the red by blue, and the blue stripe by making it red or violet next to the red stripe (320). 353. Suppose a weaver wishing to imitate these two stripes, but ignorant of the law of contrast of colours, after choosing the wools or silks, he is sure to make two stripes, which will produce the phenomenon of contrast ; for he will select his wools or silks of only one blue or one red, to imitate two stripes of different colours, each of which appears homogeneous throughout, but which the painter has only succeeded in making so by neutra- lizing the phenomenon of contrast, which would un- doubtedly have resulted had each been painted of a uniform colour. 354. Suppose the painter has painted the stripes with 110 HAEMONY AND CONTRAST OF COLOURS. uniform colours, then contrast will arise, so that the red contiguous to the blue will appear orange, and the blue contiguous to the red will appear greenish. If the weaver be ignorant of the law of contrast, in attempting to imitate his model he will be sure to mix yellow or orange with his red, and yellow or green with his blue, in those parts of the stripes which come in contact. Hence the contrast will be more exaggerated than if he had w^orked the two stripes with homogeneous colours. 355. Suppose a weaver has to copy the series of ten grey stripes in flat tints (flg. 3, Plate 1) described (11), it is evident that if he is ignorant of such efl“ects he will exaggerate it in the imitation ; for instead of working ten tints of the same scale so as to produce ten bands in flat tints, he will make ten bands, each graduated conform- ably to what he sees; he will probably also have recourse to lighter and darker tones than those which correspond exactly to the model, and thus he will require a greater number of tones than would have been necessary had he been aw^are of contrast, rendering the copy an exaggera- tion of the model. When we attentively observe the rosy flesh-tints of many pictures, we perceive in the shadows a more or less apparent green tint, resulting from the contrast of rose with grey. (I presume that the painter has made his shadows without using green, and that he has not corrected the effect of contrast by using red.) Now a weaver, ignorant of the effect of rose upon grey, in imitating the shaded part will have recourse to a green- grey, which will exaggerate an effect that would have been produced naturally by employing a scale of pure, not of greenish grey. PATTERNS FOR TAPESTRY. Ill •QUALITIES WHICH PATTERNS FOR GOBELINS TAPESTRY MUST POSSESS. 356. To determine tlie qualities wliich model pictures for tapestry must possess, we must decide what are spe- cific qualities peculiar to this kind of imitation. The weaver imitates objects with coloured threads of a certain diameter. These threads are applied round the threads of the warp. Their surface is not uniform but furrowed, those which are parallel to the threads of the warp being lower than those which are perpendicular to it ; the effect of these furrows being such as would be produced upon a picture, by a series of dark parallel lines, cut at right angles by another series of finer parallel lines, less dark than the preceding. 357. There are these differences then between tapestry and painting : — 1. Tapestry never presents those blended colours which the painter obtains so easily by indefinitely mixing or dividing his pigments. 2. The symmetry and uniformity of the furrows of tapestry prevent the lights being as vivid, and the shadows as vigorous, as in a painting ; for though the furrows obscure the lights, the salient parts of the threads which are in the shades, have the ill effect of enfeebling the latter by the light they reflect. 3. The lines surrounding the different objects in a painting, although straight or curved in every direc- tion, may be of extreme fineness without ceasing to be perfectly distinct, while the threads of the weft and the I 112 HARMONY AND CONTRAST OF COLOURS. warp, always crossing at riglit angles, interfere with such a result whenever the lines of the pattern do not exactly coincide with these threads. 4 . The painter has other resources, which are denied to the weaver, for increasing the brilliancy of the lights and the vigour of the shadows. For instance: he opposes opaque body-colours to glaring colours, he mo- difies an object of a single colour by varying the thick- ness of the layer of paint which he places on the canvas ; and within certain limits he can produce modifications, by changing the direction of the strokes of his pencil. 358. Hence, to raise the effects of tapestry as nearly as possible to those of painting, it is requisite : — 1. That the objects be represented of such a size that the position of the spectator does not permit of his distinguishing either the coloured elements from each other, or the furrows which separate them ; so that threads of two mixed scales (377), and the hatchings of different scales, more or less distant, interwoven to- gether (378), may be mingled into a homogeneous colour, and that the cavities and salient parts may appear as a uniform surface. 2 . That the colours be as vivid and strongly con- trasted as possible, so that the lines which surround the different objects be more distinct, and the lights and shadows be as different as possible. 359. Thus patterns for tapestry must not only recom- mend themselves by correct outline and elegant forms, but must also represent larger objects : figures draped rather than nude, vestments decorated with ornaments. COLOURS OF GLASS WINDOWS. 113 rather than simple and imiform. Consequently, every thing allied to miniature, by minuteness or by finish in details, is foreign to its special object. 360. The elements of Beauvais tapestry for furniture are essentially the same as those of Gobelins tapestry ; but with this difference, that the light and the middle tones are of silk, while in the Gobelins tapestry these tones are almost always of wool. The scales of Beau- vais are less varied in colour than those of the Gobelins, and tlieir tones are less numerous. But the working of the threads is the same in both kinds of tapestry ; so that as to the employment of coloured threads, depending in like manner on the knowledge and observance of the principles of mixture and contrast of colours, I need not add to what I have already said on this subject in the preceding section. 361. The farrows caused by the weft and the warp have not the inconvenience they present in the Gobelins tapestry. In fact, the regular grain of the tapestry for furniture is so far from producing a bad effect in the image represented on it, that we are obliged to give the appearance of this grain to many paper-hangings by means of parallel lines cutting it, or by points symme- trically placed. COLOURED GLASS WINDOWS IN LARGE GOTHIC CHURCHES. 362. I am about to examine, according to the pre- ceding views, the coloured glass windows which concur so powerfully with architecture, in giving to vast gothic churches that harmony which we cannot fail to recognise whenever we enter them. These structures rank with 114 HARMONY AND CONTRAST OF COLOURS. those works of art which are most impressive by their size, the subordination of their various parts, .and by their com- plete fitness for the purposes to which they are applied. The stained glass of gothic churches has always a most appropriate effect, intercepting the white light, which, by giving too vivid a glare, is less conducive to meditation than the coloured light which this glass transmits. We shall find its splendid effect to arise, not only from the contrast of colours, but also from the contrast of its trans- parency with the opacity of the surrounding walls, and of the lead which binds its parts together. The im- pression produced on the eye by this twofold cause becomes more vivid the more frequently it is repeated and the longer it is sustained, when yellow, blue, violet, orange, red, and green stained glass appears like most precious jewels. 363. The upright windows usually represent, within a border or a ground analogous to the rose windows, the figure of a saint in harmony with those which stand in . relief about the portals of the edifice ; and to be fully appreciated they must be judged of as ^arU of a whole, and not as a Greek statue which is intended to be seen ; isolated on all sides. The glass is of two kinds, the one painted on its sur- face by pigments afterwards vitrified (glass painting); the other, melted with the material that colours it (glass ^ staining) ; the first is generally used in the composition ; of the nude parts of the human figure, and the second | in that of the drapery. All the pieces of glass are ^ united by strips of lead. What has struck me as being . most effective in windows with human figures, is the exact observance of the relations of size of the figures and of the intensity of the light which renders them COLOURED GLASS WINDOWS. 115 visible, with the distance at which the spectator is placed ; a distance at which the strips of lead surrounding each piece of glass appear only as lines or as small black bands. 364. It is not necessary, for an effective whole, that the 'painted glass, when viewed closely, should exhibit fine hatchings, careful stippling, or blended tints ; for, with the coloured stained glass for draperies, they should compose a system which compares with painting in flat tints, and certainly we cannot doubt tnat a painting on glass, executed entirely according to the system of chiardscuro, not to speak of the cost of its execution, will have the disadvantage of the finish in its details entirely disappearing at the distance at which it must be viewed as a whole. 365. The Jb'st condition, which must he fuljilled hy every worh of art, is, that it he presented without confusion and as distinctly as possible. Let us add that paintings on glass, executed on the method of chiaro-scuro, can- not receive the borders and grounds of rose windows which have such fine effects of colour, as they have less brilliancy and transparency than the glass in which the colouring material has been incorporated j they are also less capable of resisting the injuries of time. Variety of colours in these windows is so necessary to attain the best possible effect, that those which repre- sent figures entirely nude, edifices, or large objects of a single colour, or slightly tinted, whatever may be the perfection of their execution with regard to finish or truth of imitation, will have an inferior effect to windows composed of pieces of varied colours suitably contrasted ; but a bad effect results from the mixture of coloured glass with transparent colourless glass, when the latter 116 HARMONY AND CONTRAST OF COLOURS. lias a certain extent of surface in a window ; yet a good effect is obtainable by mixing ground glass with coloured glass, and also of small pieces of colourless transparent glass, framed in lead, so that at the distance at which they must be viewed they produce the effect of a sym- metrical juxtaposition of white parts with black parts. 366. I conclude that we must refer the causes of the beautiful effects of coloured glass of great churclies — 1. To their presenting a very simple design, whose different well-defined parts may be seen without confusion at a great distance. 2 . To their offering a union of coloured parts which are distributed with a kind of symmetry, but which are also vividly contrasted, not only among themselves, but also with the opaque parts which surround them. 367. Coloured windows appear to me to produce their utmost effect only in the vast edifices where the different-coloured rays reach the eye of the spectator on the floor of the church so much scattered that they impinge upon each other, whence results an harmonious mixture, not found in a small structure lighted by coloured windows. It is this intimate mixture of the coloured rays, transmitted into a vast edifice, which permits of tapestries placed on the ground floor. But when the lower walls have not colourless glass windows, it is evident that, if tapestries be placed too near coloured windows, the harmony of their colours must be lost, as when blue rays fall upon red draperies, yellow rays upon blue draperies, &c. Thus, when coloured glass is to be put in a window, it is necessary to take into consideration, not only its COLOURED GLASS WINDOWS. 117 beauty, but also tlie effect which the coloured light it transmits will have upon the objects illuminated by it. 368. The coloured windows of a large church may be regarded as real, transparent tapestries, intended to transmit light, and to ally themselves harmoniously with the sculptures on the exterior, which destroy the monotony of the high walls of the edifice, and with the different monuments of the interior, among which tapestries must be taken into account. 369. My ideas on the employment of stained glass for windows may be summed up in the following terms : — 1 . They produce their utmost effect only in the rose windows, bay windows, or pointed windows of large Gothic churches. 2. Only when they present the strongest harmonies of contrast, not of colourless transparent glass with the black produced by the opacity of the walls, iron bars, and strips of lead, but of this black with the intense tones of red, blue, orange, violet, and yellow. 3. Their designs must always be as simple as possi- ble, and admit of the harmonies of contrast. 4. V/hile admiring painted windows, of which a large number consist of paintings of undoubted merit, especially in regard to the difiiculties overcome, I confess that it is a kind of painting which should not be much encouraged, because it never has the merit of a picture properly so called, it is more costly, and will produce less effect in a large church than a stained window of much lower price. 118 HARMONY AND CONTRAST OF COLOURS. 5 . V/indows of a pale grey ground, with, light ara- besques, have a very poor effect wherever they are placed. See the relations of the law of contrast with the deco- ration of the interiors of churches. Third Division. Colour Printing, ON CALICO PRINTING, AND PRINTING PAPER- HANGINGS. 370. I propose to examine only the optical, not the chemical, effects produced by patterns printed upon woven fabrics. Printing on textile fabrics was for a long time limited, so to speak, to cotton cloths. It is only of late years that it has been extended to fabrics of silk and wool, for furniture and clothing. This branch of industry has now undergone an immense extension, fashion having accepted these products with extreme favour ; but, v/hat- ever may be the importance of the subject, in a commer- cial point of view, I must treat it briefly. This book is not directed exclusively to that branch of inquiry, and as all the preceding part is intimately connected with it, I shall merely state some facts which show, that, in ignorance of the law of contrast, the manu- facturers and printers of cotton, woollen, and silk stuffs are constantly exposed to error in judging the value of recipes or colours, or as to the true tint of the design applied upon grounds of a different colour. COLOUR PRIXTDsG. 11 ^ FALSE JUDGMENT OF THE VALUE OF RECIPES FOR COLOURING COMPOSITIONS. 371. At a certain calico-printer’s a recipe for printing green had always succeeded up to a certain period, when it began to give bad results. They were lost in conjectures ujDon the cause, when a person, who at the Gobehns had followed my researches on contrast, recognised that the green of which they complained, being printed on a ground of blue, inclined to yellow through the influence of orange, the complementary of the ground. She therefore advised that the proportion of blue in the colouring composition should be increased in order to correct the effect of contrast. The recipe, modified according to this suggestion, gave the beautiful green which they had obtained formerly. 372. Thus every recipe for colours to be applied upon a ground of another colour, must be modified conform- ably to the effect which the ground will produce. It is this great facility in correcting the ill effect of certain contrasts which explains why they so often succeed without being able to account for it. Here, notwith- standing their colour, the eye judges them to be colour- less, or of the tint complementary to that of the ground. These appearances have been the subject of questions frequently addressed to me by the manufacturers of printed stuffs, and by drapers : they are due to the lav) of simultaneous contrast of colours. In fact, when the patterns appear white, the ground acts by contrast of tone (9); if they appear coloured (and this appearance generally succeeds to that where they appear white), the ground then acts by contrast of colour (13). The manu- facturer of printed stuffs therefore will not seek to attri- 120 HARMONY AND CONTRAST OR COLOURS. bate the cause of these phenomena to the chemical actions in his operations. 373. Ignorance of the law of contrast has, among drapers and manufacturers, been the subject of many disputes, which I have been happy to settle amicably, by demonstrating to the parties that they had no possible cause for litigation in the cases they submitted to me. I will relate some of these, to prevent similar disputes. Certain drapers gave to a calico-printer some cloths of single colours, red, violet, and blue, upon which they wished black figures to be printed. They complained that upon the red cloths he had put green patterns ; upon the violet, the figures appeared greenish-yellow ; upon the hlue, they w^ere or co^jjer-coloured — instead of the hlach which had been ordered. To convince them that they had no ground for complaint, it sufficed to have recourse to the following proofs : — 1. I surrounded the patterns with white paper, so as to conceal the ground ; the designs then appeared black. 2 . I placed some cuttings of black cloth upon stuffs coloured red, violet, and blue ; the cuttings appeared like the printed designs, e., of the colour complementary to the ground, although the same cuttings, when placed upon a white ground, were of a beautiful black. 374. The modifications which black designs undergo upon different coloured grounds are the following ; — Plate 13. Upon Red stuffs they appear Darh Green, Upon Orange stuffs they appear of a Bluish-hlacJc. Upon Yellow stuffs they appear Blaclc, the violet tint PLATE XIII. r«ge 120. ^ 1 : A., flit Of * PAPERS OF FLORID PATTERNS. 121 of wHcli is very feeble, on account of the great contrast of tone. Upon Green stuffs they appear of a Reddish-grey. Upon Blice stuffs they appear of an Orange-grey. Upon Violet stuffs theyappear of a Greenish-yellow Grey. These examples are sufficient to enable us to compre- hend their advantage to the printer of patterns in colours complementary to the colours of the ground, whenever contiguous tints are to be mutually strengthened without going out of their respective scales. DESIGNS FOR PAPER-HANGINGS. 375. The manufacture of paper-hangings has now arrived at such a point, that a knowledge of the law of contrast of colours is indispensably necessary to this branch of industry. We cannot estimate the true rela- tions between the law of contrast and the art of paper- staining without dividing the papers into several cate- gories to which the law is applicable. 1. Papers having figures and landscapes, or flowers of different sizes, and of varied colours, not in- tended for borders ; these approach the nearest to painting. 2. Papers with patterns of one colour, or of colours but slightly varied. 3. Those employed as borders. CHAPTER II. On the Law of Simultaneous Contrast of Colours in rela- tion to Paper-Hangings with Figures^ Landscapes^ or large Flowers of varied Colours. 37 6 . The study which I recommend to artists occu- pied in fabricating paper-hangings, is in some measure 122 HAKMONY AND CONTRAST OF COLOURS. that immediately applicable to every pictorial composi- tion, or, in other words, the tapestry of figures and land- scapes. But, whatever be the merit of paper-hangings of this category, they are not sought by persons of re- fined taste, and they do not appear to me destined to be any more so in future, for the twofold reason that the taste for arabesques, painted upon walls, or upon wood, and that for lithographs, engravings, and paintings, is spreading everyday. These last three objects exclude, at least, all those papers with figures and coloured landscapes. 377. The applications of the law of contrast to this class of paper-hangings are easy, when we thoroughly understand the divisions of the book to which I referred above. In order to prove the advantage to be derived from the knowledge of this law, I need only refer to the bad effect presented by contiguous bands of two tones of the same scale of grey (serving as the ground to the figure of an infant), in consequence of the contrast of tone arising from their juxtaposition (321). 378. On the Law of Simultaneous Contrast of Colours in relation to Paper-ha7igings with Designs in a Single Colour, or in Colours hut slightly varied. The remarks in 372 are applicable here also, as are those of 374. The best executed, and in the best taste, are those with black figures, or of figures much darker than the ground. Paper-hangings, I do not say the most tasteful, but those most convenient for use, present very light grounds, with white or grey figures. 379. Grey patterns, upon papers tinted of a light colour, exhibit the phenomenon of maximum contrast ; that is to say, the grey appears coloured with the com- plementary of the ground. Fajje 123 . Of ^Hi t ttS i te^’"‘ '■ * t S;- PAPER-HAXGIXGS AXD BORDERS. 123 Thus, conformably to the law,' (Plate 14) Grey patterns upon a Rose ground appear Green. ,, „ „ an Orange „ „ Blue. „ „ „ a Yellow „ „ Violet or Lilac. „ „ „ a Green „ „ Rose. „ „ „ a Blue „ „ Orange-grey. „ „ „ a Violet „ „ Yelloiv. 380. I mention these examples to instruct artists, for, in manufactories of paper-hangings, disputes arise between the proprietors and the preparers of the colours. For instance, a few years ago, the proprietors of one of the first manufactories in Paris, wishing to print grey pat- terns upon grounds of apple green and of rose, refused to believe that his colour-preparer had given any grey to the printer, because the designs printed on these grounds appeared coloured with the complementaries of the colour of the ground. It was only when the colour pre- parer, having attended a lecture I gave for M. Vauque- lin, at the Museum of iSTatural History, and hearing me speak of the mistakes that these contrasts of colours might occasion, suspected the cause of the effects which he had unconsciously produced, and which had really caused him much annoyance. OF THE LAW OF SIMULTAXEOUS CONTRAST OF COLOURS RELATIVELY TO THE BORDERS OF PAPER-HANGINGS. 381. Every paper of one colour, or one belonging to the second category, should receive a border generally darker and more complex in design and colour than the paper which it frames. The assortment of two papers exercises a very great influence on the effects they are capable of producing; for each of them may be of a fine colour, ornamented 124 HAEMONY AND CONTEAST OF COLOUES. with designs in the best taste, yet their effect will be me- diocre, or even bad, because the assortment will not be conformable to the law of contrast. 382. The ground of a border contributes greatly to the beauty of the pattern, whether this be of flowers, ornaments, or any other object. As we cannot treat of this influence in an absolute or methodical manner, I shall select a certain number of remarkable facts which I have had occasion to observe, and I shall principally dwell on those from which we can deduce conclusions, which, appa- rently not flowing from previous observation, might escape many readers, in spite of the great interest they have in knowing them. Besides, the exhibition of these facts will give me occasion to apply the law of contrast to designs pre- senting many tones of the same scale, and of different hues, and also often of different scales, more or less distant from each other. I shall not treat of simple borders, presenting black or grey designs upon a uniform ground, for I have already spoken of the modifications which in this case black designs undergo (374), and grey designs also (379). 383. The design of a border, either of ornaments, flowers, or any other object, being cut out and pasted upon a white card, designs identical with the preceding, which had been pasted upon cardboard, were then cut out, and placed upon grounds of black, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet ; then compared, not only by myself, but also by many persons whose eyes are much accustomed to seeing colours. When we had perfectly agreed upon their value, the results were noted as follows : — 1. — BOEDEE OF EIGHT INCHES IN HEIGHT, EEPEESENT- ING GILT OENAMENTS UPON DIFFEEENT GEOUNDS. Plate 15. 384. These ornaments, executed by the ordinary pro- I* age 124 . ] M I BORDERS OF PAPER-HANGINGS. 12o cesses of paper-staining, contained no particle of metallic gold ; yellow, lakes, and orange, of different tones and hues, had been exclusively employed in their produc- tion. After having stated the modifications which the painted gilt ornaments experience from the colour of the grounds, I shall indicate those which the metallic gilt ornaments receive comparatively from the same grounds ; this comparison presenting results which appear to me interesting. Black Ground. 385. Painted gilt ornaments placed upon black ground, compared with the same ornaments placed on a white ground, appear much more distinct than the latter; be- cause the yellows and orange-yellows, colours eminently luminous, and the black ground, which reflects no light, give rise to contrast of tone, which the white ground, essentially luminous, cannot give with the colours which are themselves luminous. (See 53.) We perceive thus, that the colours placed upon black are lowered in tone ; but it must be noted that yellows and orange-yellows, far from being weakened (58), would only cause the black to gain in purity. In considering more particularly the effects of two grounds, we see that a black imparts a red to the orna- ments, and it is important to remark that the brightness of this red, instead of reddening the yellows, really gilds them. (See 394.) We may thus understand how black, in taking away some grey, imparts brilliancy, and how this grey, which may be considered as a tarnished or subdued blue, may, with yellow, produce an ohve colour. It is also neces- sary to remark, that the gilt ornaments in question pre- sent an olive-grey tint, which, far from being diminished by the white ground, is exalted by it. 126 HARMONY AND CONTRAST OF COLOURS. Althougli tlie black ground lowers the tone of the j colours, while white heightens them, it lowers yello. ^ more in proportion than red, and consequently renders the ornaments redder than they appear upon a whil ground; and, in taking away the grey, it purifies tht colours, and acts also by giving them some red, or by taking away some green. Metallic Gilt Ornaments. 386. Gilt ornaments stand out better from black than from white, but the orange colour is weakened and really impoverished. The black ground then does not purify the real gilt ornaments as it does the painted imitation of gold. Deep Red Ground. The yellows are more luminous, the whole effect with the painted ornament is clearer, more brilliant, less grey than upon a white ground. Ked much deeper than the ornament, lowers the tone of it ; and this effect is also augmented by the addition of its complementary, green, a bright colour. This example is of much importance, enabling us to .see how the red, which appears as though it could be of but little advantage to ornaments, because it tends to weaken them by making them greener, is notwithstand- ing favourable, because the lightening or weakening of the colour is more than compensated for by the bril- liancy of the complementary of the ground which is added to the yellow. We shall return to this effect in a moment. There is this analogy between the influence of the red ground and that of the black ground, that the tone of the colour is lowered ; but there is this dif- ference, that the ornaments become green on the first, while they become orange upon the second. VARIOUS COLOURED GROUNDS. 127 i 387. The red ground is not so advantageous for gilt I ornaments as it is for the painted imitations of them, because the metal loses too much of its orange colour, and appears inferior to gold upon a black ground. The red ground appears darker, and more violet than the ground upon which painted ornaments are placed. Grounds of a light red are still less favourable to the gold than red grounds of a dark tone. Orange Ground deeper than the Oimaments. 388. The painted ornaments are bluer or rather greener than upon a white ground. The yellow and orange are singularly lower in tone. This ground, then, is very disadvantageous to orna- ments, as might have been expected. 389. Orange is not favourable to metallic gilt. The metal becomes too white, while the orange ground is redder and more vivid than that upon which the painted ornaments are placed. Yellow Ground of Chromate of Lead more hrilliant than the Yellow of the Ornaments, 390. The yellow of the painted ornaments is exces- sively enfeebled by the complementary of the ground which is added to it, the ornaments appear grey in com- parison with those upon a white ground. 391. The yellow ground is not so unfavourable to gilt ornaments as it is to painted ones. The first assort- ment may, in certain cases, be recommended. The yellow appears more intense, and perhaps greener. Bright Green Ground, 392. Painted ornaments are darker upon a bright 128 HAKMONY AND CONTRAST OF COLOURS. green ground than upon a red or white ground. They have acquired some red, but not the brilliant tint which ' is given to them by black — it is a brick-red tint. i 393. It follows from the comparison of the effects of ornaments upon red and upon green grounds, that the ■ * first is much more advantageous than the second, because it adds an essentially brilliant tint to the colour of the ornaments, while the latter, adding red, or taking away green, produces a brick-red. 394. Upon a bright green ground, metallic gilt orna- ments acquire red, as the painted ornaments do, while the red, not sensibly diminishing the brilliancy of the metal, but, on the contrary, augmenting the intensity of its colour, produces an excellent effect. The green ground is more intense and bluer than the same ground upon which the painted ornaments are placed. 395. The study of the effects of red and of green grounds upon painted ornaments, on the one hand, and upon gilt ornaments on the other, is extremely interest- ing to paperstainers and decorators ; it demonstrates to them the necessity of taking into consideration, in the juxtaposition of bodies which it is proposed to asso- ciate, the brilliancy which these bodies naturally possess, and the brilliancy we wish to impart to them, if they have none. The preceding examples (386, 394) explain why the paperstainer will choose dark red instead of green for his gilt ornaments, and why a decorator will prefer green to red for the colour of the hangings of a show-room of gilt bronzes, gilt clocks, &c. Blue Ground, 396. Observation agrees perfectly with the law that it is really upon ablue ground, that painted ornaments, whose METALLIC GILT ORNAMENTS. 129 dominant colour is the complementary of blue, show themselves to the greatest advantage with respect to intensity of the gold-yellow colour. This effect more than compensates for the slight difference which may result from the red ground giving a little more brilliancy. The ornaments upon the latter ground, compared with those on the blue, are less coloured and appear whiter. With metallic gilt ornaments the blue ground is deeper and less violet than with painted ornaments. Violet Ground. 397. Conformably to the law, the violet ground giving greenish-yellow to the painted ornaments, is favourable to them ; they appear on this ground less olive-grey, more brilliant than upon the white ground, and less green than upon the red ground. Metallic gilt ornaments stand out quite as well, the ground is raised in tone, and the violet appears bluer or less red. 398. It is remarkable that gilt ornaments, compared with their painted imitations, heighten all the grounds upon which they are placed. We cannot say that this metal causes the grounds to lose their brilliancy, for orange gaining some red, by the juxtaposition of the gold, appears, nevertheless, more brilliant than the orange in juxtaposition with the painted ornaments. The gold, by its orange colour, gives also some blue, its complementary, to bodies which surround it. 130 HARMONY AND CONTRAST OF COLOURS. 2. — BORDER OF FOUR INCHES IN BREADTH PRESENTING ORNAMENTS COMPOSED OF FESTOONS OF BLUE FLOWERS, OF WHICH THE EXTREMITIES ARE HELH BY GREY LEAVES OF ARABESQUES. Plate 16. 399. These ornaments are opposed in some respects to the preceding by their dominant colour, which is blue. Black Ground, 400. Grey lowered three tones in comparison with grey ; upon white less reddened. Blue flowers lowered two tones at least. Red Ground, 401. The grey is greenish, while upon white it is reddish. The blue flowers are lowered three tones, and the blue inclines to green. Orange Ground, 402. Grey much lowered ; less red than upon white. Flowers paler, and of a blue less red or less violet, than upon a white ground. Yellow Ground. 403. Grey higher than upon white ground, more violet. Flowers of a more violet blue, less green than upon a white ground. Green Ground, 404. The grey is reddish, while upon a white ground it appears greenish. The blue gains red or violet, but it loses much of its Page 130 * i'Jt s VARIOUS COLOURED GROUNDS. 131 vivacity ; it resembles some blues of tbe silk-vat, which, giving yellow to the water, become slaty-blue- violet. Blue Ground, 405. The blue ground being fresher than that of the ornament, it follows that it gives orange to the blue of the flowers ; that is to say, it greys them in the most dis- agreeable manner. The grey ornament is oranged, and lighter than upon the white ground. Violet Ground, 406. Grey lowered, yellowed, impoverished. Blue tends to green, and is impoverished. 3. — BORDER OF FIVE INCHES AND A HALF IN BREADTH, REPRESENTING ROSES WITH THEIR LEAVES. Plate 17. 407. This border is particularly useful as an example of the effect of two colours, red and green, which are very common in the vegetable world, and often repre- sented upon paper-hangings. Black Ground, The green is less black, lighter, fresher, and purer, and its brown tones redder than upon a white ground. With respect to its lighter tones, I see them yellower, while, on the contrary, they appeared bluer to three persons accustomed to observe colours. This dif- ference, as I at last found, arose from my comparing the general effect of leaves upon a black ground with that of leaves upon a white ground ; while the other persons instituted their comparison more particularly upon the browns and the light tones of green, placed 132 HARMONY AND CONTRAST OF COLOURS. upon the same ground. This difference in the manner of seeing the same objects will be the subject of some remarks hereafter. Eose lighter, yellower than upon a white ground. Darh Red Ground, 408. Green more beautiful, less black, lighter than upon a white ground. Eose more lilac, perhaps, than upon a white ground. The good effect of the border upon this ground is due chiefly to the greatest part of the rose not being con- tiguous to red, but to green ; because the border and the ground exhibit flowers, the rose of which contrasts with the green of their leaves ; while the same green contrasts with the red of the ground, which is deeper and warmer than the colour of the flowers. Orange Ground, 409. The green lighter, a little bluer than upon a white ground. Eed much more violet than upon a white ground. The general effect not agreeable. Yellow Ground, 410. Green bluer than upon a white ground. Eose more violet, purer than upon a white ground. The whole exhibits a good effect of contrast. Green ground, the tone of which is nearly equal to that of the lights of the leaves, and the hue of which is a little bluer. Green of the leaves lighter, yellower than upon a white ground. Eose fresher, purer, more velvety than upon a white ground. Ground of an agreeable effect from harmony of analogy VARIOUS COLOURED GROUNDS, 133 with the colour of the leaves, and from harmony of con- trast with the rose of the flowers. Blue Ground. 411. Green lighter, more golden than upon a white ground. Kose yellower, less fresh than upon a white ground. Although the gveen leaves do not exactly produce a bad eftect upon the ground, yet the roses lose much of their freshness, and the appearance of the whole is not agreeable. Violet Ground. 412. Green yellower, lighter than upon a white ground. Eose faded. If the ground does not injure the green of the leaves, yet it injures the rose so much that it is not agreeable. 4. — BOEDER OF SIX INCHES IN BREADTH, REPRESENTING WHITE FLOWERS, AS CHINA-ASTER, POPPY, LILY OF THE VALLEY, ROSES; SOME RED FLOWERS, AS THE ROSE-WALLFOWER ; SOME SCARLET OR ORANGE, AS THE POPPY, POMEGRANATE, TULIP; BIGNONIA AND VIOLET FLOWERS, AS LILAC, VIOLETS, AND TULIPS WITH GREEN LEAVES. 413. This border was remarkable for the pleasing combinations of the flowers among themselves, and of the flowers with their leaves. In spite of the multi- plicity of colours, and of the hues of red and violet, there was no disagreeable juxtaposition, except that of a pome- granate next to a rose ; but the contact only took place at one point, and the two flowers were in very different positions. Black Ground. 414. The whole lighter than upon a white ground. HARMOXY AND CONTRAST OF COLOURS. Orange finer, brighter than upon a white ground. White the same. Green lighter, redder. The roses and the violets gain nothing from the black. Red-Brown Ground, 415. The whole lighter than upon a white ground. Whites and greens of fine effect. An orange-fiower contiguous to the ground, for the reason explained above (407), acquires a briUiancy which it has not upon a white ground. Orange Ground, 416. The whole more sombre, duller than upon a white ground. Orange-flowers and roses dull, lilacs bluer. This assortment is not good. Yellow Ground, 417. The orange-flower contiguous to the ground evidently loses vivacity in comparison with the white ground. The whites are less beautiful than upon a red ground. The greens are bluer than upon a white ground. The roses become bluer, the violets acquire some brilliancy. The whole effect is good, because there is but little yellow in the border, and but little orange contiguous to the ground. Green Ground, 418. The ground being fresher than the green of the leaves, had not a good effect, relatively to them. On the other hand, the green in the border was in too small a VARIOUS COLOURED GROUNDS. 13d quantity to produce a harmony of analogy, and it had not sufficient red for a harmony of contrast. Blue Ground. 419. The oranges have a fine effect, the greens were reddened as well as the whites. The roses and the lilacs lost some of their freshness. This arrangement did not produce a good effect, because there was not sufficient yellow or orange in the border. Yiolet Ground. % 420. Orange more beautiful than upon a white ground. Roses, and violets especially, less beautiful than upon a white ground. A poor assortment. Grey Ground. 421. As' might be easily foreseen, this ground was extremely favourable to all the colours of the border. 422. The examination wo have just made of four sorts of borders enables us to verify the exactness of the conclusions which are directly deducible from the law of simultaneous contrast of colours, and presents to us effects which we could scarcely have deduced from the same law without the aid of experiment. I now speak — 1. Of the influence which a complementary exercises by imparting brilliancy to the colour to which it is added. 2 . Of the very different manner in which not only different people, but even the same person, will 136 HARMONY AND CONTRAST OF COLOURS. judge of the colours of a more or less complex pattern, having a certain number of colours, ac- cording to the attention the spectator gives at a certain moment to different parts (407). 423. Our examination of the border of roses with their leaves (No. 3), and especially of that of the border of flowers varied in their forms and hues (No. 4), shows the necessity of a knowledge of the law of contrast to assort the colours of objects represented upon a border with the colour which serves as a ground to them. The examination of the border No. 4 has demonstrated ex- perimentally that this assortment presents so much the more difficulty as we wish to have purer tints for the ground, and more varied colours in the objects we in- tend placing on it ; besides, in demonstrating the good effect of grey as a ground for these latter objects, it has furnished an example of a fact which may be deduced from the law, and which is in perfect accordance with what practice taught us long ago. PRINTED OR WRITTEN CHARACTERS ON PAPERS OF DIFFERENT COLOURS. 424. Having made it a rule in this work never to state any observations which I have not myself verified, I must mention that, not possessing every requisite for the examination of the subject of this section, I am obliged to develop certain points of it only. We must regard — 1. The duration of the reading, and 2 . The kind of light which illuminates the printed or written paper. A. — INFLUENCE OF DURATION IN THE READING. 425. From the different conditions in which the eye PRINTED OR WRITTEN CHARACTERS. 137 is found when it is apt to perceive the phenomena of simultaneous, successive, and mixed contrasts of colours (77 etseq.), it may be conceived that in order to judge of the eiOfect upon the sight of the assortments of the colour of the letters and that of the paper as to the degree of facility that they respectively present for reading, it may happen that one assortment will be more favourable during a brief reading, while the contrary will take place if the reading be prolonged during several hours. Besides, an assortment presenting the greatest contrast will be more favourable to a reading of short duration, while it will be less so to a prolonged reading ; because, in consequence of the intensity of its contrast, it will fatigue the eye more.”^^ B. — INFLUENCE OF THE KIND OF LIGHT ON PRINTED OR WHITTEN PAPER. 426. The light we employ to supply the place of that of the sun, changing the relations of colour under which the same bodies appear to us illumined by daylight, it is evident that if we neglected this difference of relation it would give rise to error ; because, any assortment of colours favourable to read in diffused daylight, might be less so by the light of a lamp, ersons, and even to the same person, that nothing general or pre- cise can he deduced from the sight of coloured objects, with regard to their respective colours. 2 . To consider how the following have passively con- tributed to belief in this opinion. The limited number of ideas we have generally about the modifications of coloured bodies, by their mutual mixtures ; or in other terms, upon the colours resulting from these mixtures. The want of a precise language to convey the impres- sions we receive from colours. 591. It is indisputable that if we are ignorant of the regularity with which the eye passes successively through stages, the extremes and the mean of which are very dlfPerent, in viewing the colours which put the organ into the condition of perceiving the phenomenon of one of the three contrasts (77) w^ shall be led to consider the sight of colours as a very variable phenomenon, while the successive stages through which the organ passes being once distinguished, the variations of the phenomenon become perfectly definite. 592. If we are ignorant of the law of simultaneous contrast, we shall suppose that the same colour varies in tint according to the colour with which it may be asso- ciated ; and if we are ignorant that contrast affects the tone as well as the colour, we cannot explain how two similar colours (for instance, blue and yellow at the 202 HARMONY AND CONTRAST OF COLOURS. same depth of tone) will appear redder by juxtaposition ; while, if the blue is very deep relatively to the yellow, it will appear black, rather than violet, and the yellow will appear more green than orange. Finally, if we are ignorant of the effect of the brightness v/hich a complementary can give to a dull colour, we cannot explain the great difference there is between the effect that a red ground has upon imitative gilt ornaments, and the effect of the same ground upon metallic gilt ornaments (384). 593. Doubtless, also, if it be not known that in a complex object, the eye can only see clearly at the same moment a small number of parts and that the same part may appear to different eyes with different modi- fications, according as it is seen juxtaposed with one or another colour, as in the instance given (407). 594. We might know the regularity of the successive states of the eye during the sight of coloured objects, and the law of simultaneous contrast of colours, and yet, if we were ignorant of the influence of various degrees of intensity of light in varying the colour of bodies and in rendering the modifications of con- trast more or less evident, we should be led to believe in an indefinite variation in the aspect of colours; but this variation is perfectly defined by the following remarks : — If the direct light of the sun or diffused daylight illuminates a monochromous body unequally, the part most vividly lighted is modified as it would be if it received orange, and the modification appears the stronger the greater the difference of light on the parts (280) : thus the more intense the light, the more it gilds the body it illumines ; it is thus always easy to VALUE OP THE KNOWLEDGE OF CONTEAST. 203 foresee the effects of it when we know the result of the mixture of orange with various colours. 595. The phenomena of simultaneous contrast being less evident in a very vivid light than in a weaker light (63), it follows that if 'we disregarded the difference in the effects, we should greatly deceive ourselves in our appreciation of the phenomena of contrast of similar colours. Simultaneous contrast, which tends to make the differently coloured parts appear as distinct as pos- sible, is carried to a maximum, precisely when the light being feeble, the eye requires the greatest contrast of colour to perceive distinctly the various parts upon which it is fixed. 596. We may perceive the modifications presented by bodies when lighted, and yet we may experience much difficulty in accounting for them, for v/ant of knowing how to represent exactly the modifications which the coloured materials experience, in their colour, according as they receive light or white, shade or black ; or according as they are mixed together. It is partly to make these modifications clearly known that I have designed the chromatic hemisphere (134, et seq.). In describing it, I have attached less importance to its material realization than to the rational principle upon which it depends. On looking at the lines of this dia- gram independently of all colouring, we understand how any colour is reduced by white, deepened by black, and broken by black and white, and how, by mixture with a pure colour, it produces hues. I shall add sub- sequently some new considerations on the gradations of colour made with coloured materials. My object would not have been attained had not the chromatic hemisphere given me the means of 204 HARMONY AND CONTRAST OF COLOURS. representing, by a simple nomenclature, the modi- fications which a colour undergoes by the addition of white and black, modifications which produce the tones of its scale; those which it receives from black yielding hrohen scales, and those resulting from the addition of a pure colour, produce scales which are hues of the first colour. o97. Finally, to the definitions which I have given of the words tone, scale, hue, hrohen colours, I must add the distinction of the associations of colours into har- monies of analogy, and harmonies of contrast (172). I am convinced that all those who accept the small number of definitions I have given, will find much ad- vantage from them in accounting for the effects of colours, and in expressing their views to others. By their aid it will be easy to notice relations which might have escaped observation, or which, in the ab- sence of precise language, could not have been clearly communicated. 598. It would be ignoring a fact to attribute the opinion I have combated, exclusively to ignorance of what I have just recapitulated, or to believe, that in order to establish the contrary opinion, which I main- tain, it is sufficient to dissipate this ignorance. But I am satisfied with pointing out the error, with- out making the least pretension to overthrow it, other- wise than by stating what I believe to be the truth. 599. The study of the positive facts just reviewed, leads to a certainty in the view of colours which all may acquire who devote themselves to it. They will see how fruitful it is in applications, and that it is inde- pendent of every hypothesis, and that it would be im- possible to obtain this result, if there did not commonly JUDGMENT OF CONTIGUOUS COLOURS. 205 exist among men an average organization of tlie eye, which permits them to perceive in similar circumstances the same modifications, but with varied intensity of per- ception. 600. Having noticed the series of principles upon which my book is founded, I next consider these facts under the three following relations : — 1. The certainty they give in judging of the colour of an object. 2 . The certainty they give to our judgment in the various arts which address the eye by coloured ma- terials. 3. The union they establish between the principles common to many arts, which speak to the eye as it were various languages, in employing different materials. 4. The influence that the disposition of the spectator’s mind may have upon his judgment of a work of art. Section I. ON THE CONNEXION OF THE LAW OF SIMULTANEOUS CONTRAST OF COLOURS WITH THE JUDGMENT WE FORM UPON ALL COLOURED BODIES, UNDER THE RELATIONS OF THE RESPECTIVE BEAUTY OR PURITY OF THEIR COLOURS, AND OF THE EQUALITY OF THE DISTANCE OF THEIR TONES IF THESE BODIES BELONG TO THE SAME SCALE. 601. The most simple and general conclusion deduced from the law of contrast is certainly that which concerns the judgment we exercise, either by taste or profession, on a colour, whether presented by a coloured paper, a textile fabric, a glass, an enamel, a picture, &c. All those who have some experience in the matter consider p 206 HAEMONY AND CONTRAST OF COLOURS. one condition as essential to be fulfilled to avoid error, namely, that the colour concerning which we have to determine be compared with another colour analogous to it. If we are ignorant of the law of contrast, the result of this comparison is not exact, whenever the objects compared are not identical, I now proceed to demonstrate this by examples adapted to the application of the principle spoken of. Further, a more remote consequence of the law affords the means of knowing whether the tones of a scale of wool or silk are equidistant. ON THE COMPARISON OF TWO SAMPLES OF THE SAME COLOUR. 602. When we have to do with two patterns of any kind, which are related to the same colour, if there is no identity between the tints, we must take into account the contrast which exaggerates the difference ; thus if the one be greenish-blue, it will make the other appear less green, or more indigo, or even more violet, than it really is ; and, reciprocally, the first will appear greener than when viewed alone ; the same with the reds, if one is more orange than the other, the latter will appear more purple, and the former more orange, than they really are. INFLUENCE OF A SURROUNDING COLOUR UPON ONE COLOUR WHEN COMPARED WITH ANOTHER. 603. Since the contrast of colours which are not analogous, tends to improve and purify them, it is evi- dent that whenever we would exercise a correct judg- ment upon the beauty of colours, after comparing them with the colours of objects analogous to the first, we must take into account the kind of work, and the manner INFLUENCE OF ONE COLOUR ON ANOTHER. 207 in which they are juxtaposed, if the objects compared are not the exact representation of the same subject. For, other things being equal, the same colours not blended, and which are not sufficiently analogous to in* jure each other, will certainly appear more beautiful disposed in contiguous bands than if each were seen on a ground which consisted of it exclusively, and which consequently produced only a single impression of colour upon the eye. Colours forming palms like those of Oriental shawls or patterns, as of Turkey car- pets, produce a much greater effect than if they were shaded or blended, as they generally are in paintings. Consequently, for example, in comparing a stripe of crimson in a Cashmere shawl of various stripes with the crimson of a French shawl, we must destroy the contrast of colours by placing around it a piece of grey or white paper, cut out so as to allow this stripe only to be seen, when the parts compared will be submitted to the same influence from the surrounding objects. 604. So, when we compare the colours of old tapestries, pictures, &c., with colours recently dyed or painted. Time acts very unequally, not only on the different kinds of colours of dyed stuffs, but also upon the tones of the same scale. Thus, the deep tones of certain scales, — those of violet, for example, — fade, while the deep blues of' the indigo-blue scale, the deep tones of madder, kermes, cochineal, are permanent. Also, the light tones of the same scale fade during a time which has no sensible effect in altering its deep tones. Whence the colours which have most resisted the destructive action of time, being more isolated from each other, as well as deeper and less blended, appear to have more brilliancy. 208 HAEMONY AND CONTRAST OF COLOURS. There are many pigments, as most of the lakes, which are in the same condition as compared with ultramarine, the oxides of iron, the blacks, &c. On the Effect of Contrast upon the Browns and the Lights of most of the Scales of Wool and Silk employed in Tapestry and Carpets, 605. When we look at the whole effect of tones of most of the scales made use of in these manufactures, the phenomenon of contrast exaggerates the difference of colour observed betv/een the extreme and the middle tones of the same scale. For instance, in the scale of indigo-blue, applied to silk, the lights are greenish, the browns are tinged violet, while the intermediate tones are blue ; but the difference of green and violet at the two extremes is augmented by the effect of contrast. So in the scale of yellow, the light tones appear greener, and the browns redder, than they really are. 606. In speaking of a difference existing between the deep and the light tones of most of the scales of wool and silk, which is exaggerated by contrast, I will add some remarks relative to the gradations the dyer produces. This gradation is very seldom perfect, as the light tones are exactly represented to the eye by the colour taken at its normal tone, reduced by white. Thus, a compound which at the normal tone is pure yellow, or slightly tinged with orange, will, by reduction, produce light tones of a greenish-yellow. An orange-red compound upon silk or wool will yield light tones tinged violet-red. To obtain a correct gradation, we must in most cases add to the weak tones a new coloured material, adapted to neu- tralize or weaken the defect spoken of. n 0 # n n OF JUDGING WHETHER TONES ARE EQUIDISTANT. 209 607. Many of the colouring matters used in painting produce the same result when reduced with white. I do not speak here of changes which may be the effect of chemical action ; I allude only to those which result from an attenuation of the coloured material. For example, the normal tone of carmine is a much purer red than its light tones, which are evidently tinged with lilac. Ultramarine, so beautiful in itself, yields light tones which, with respect to the blue rays, appear to re- flect more violet rays than the normal tone. In conse- quence of these facts, it is difficult to colour the chro- matic diagTam, because many trials must be made to obtain tlie modification of colour which yields the normal tone of a scale, by the addition of such coloured materials as will render the gradation correct. MEANS AFFORDED BY CONTRAST FOR ASCERTAINING W^HETHER THE TONES OF A SCALE OF COLOUR ARE EQUIDISTANT. 608. Contrast, which augments the difference ex- isting between two tones of the same colour, affords the means of judging with greater certainty than could otherwise be done, whether the numerous tones of a scale are at the same distance from each other. Thus, if the tone 2, placed between 3 and 4, appears equal to the tone 1, it follows, if the tones are equidistant, that 3 placed between 4 and 5 will appear equal to 2 j that 4 put between 5 and 6 will appear equal to 3, and so vith the others. If the tones are too near together to yield this result, we must move them successively, not one degree, but two or three. This means of judging of the equality of distance that separates the tones of the same scale, is based upon the fact, that it is easier to 210 HARMONY AND CONTRAST OF COLOURS. establish an equality than to estimate a difference between patterns of the same colour, OF THE BINARY ASSOCIATIONS OF COLOURS, CRITICALLY CONSIDERED. 609. In order to sum up in few words tlie gene- ralities which must serve as the bases of our judgment, not on one colour compared with another of the same sort, but on the associations of two colours, which any object whatever presents to our eyes, we must consider combinations both of complementary and non-comple- mentary colours. 1st. Combination of Complementary Colours, This is the only association where the colours mutually improve, strengthen, and purify each other without leaving their respective scales. This case is so advantageous to the associated colours, that the combination is also satisfactory when the colours are not absolutely complementary ; also when they are made dull with grey. I therefore prescribe the com- plementary association when we have recourse to the harmonies of contrast in painting, in tapestry, in the arrangement of coloured-glass windows, in the assort- ment of hangings with their borders, in that of stuffs for furniture and clothing ; and, lastly, in the arrange- ment of flowers in our gardens. 2nd. Combination of N on-complementary Colours, The product of this combination is distinguished from the preceding in this, — the complementary of the juxta- posed colours, differing from the other colour to which it is added, there must necessarily be a modification of hue in BINARY COMBINATIONS CRITICISED. 211 the two colours, as well as a modification of tone, if they are not taken at the same height, 610. Juxtaposed non-complementary colours can cer- tainly give rise to three different results : — T. They may improve each other. 2. The one may be improved, the other may lose some of its beauty. 3. They may injure each other. The greater the difference between the colours, the more favourable will the juxtaposition be to their mu- tual contrast ; consequently, the more analogy they will have, and the more chances there are that the juxta- position may injure their beauty. 1. Two non their sesthetical effect. Of Uniforms composed of Complementary Colours. By the law of contrast, red and green of similar tone in the same uniform, will heighten each other. Let us suppose the augmentation of colour by juxtaposition to equal one-tenth, its optical effect may be stated as If a single coloured uniform, by one year’s wear lose one-tenth of its colour, it is clear that the uniform of the above two colours after being worn the same time will be as effective as the single colour was originally. Similar reasoning may be applied to all colours that are complementary, as orange and blue, violet and greenish yellow, &c. ; it is necessary however to take into consideration their difference of tone. Among colours which are not complementary, but which produce an agreeable contrast, may be mentioned particularly blue and yellow, blue and scarlet, green and yellow. Blue and Yellow. — These two colours harmonize well, the blue imparting to the yellow an orange tint so* much the deeper as the tone of the blue is raised, while the yellow communicates to the blue a beautiful tint of violet, or if the blue have any unpleasant greenish tint the yellow will neutralize it. If, however, there be a great difference in the tone of the two colours, contrast arising from this difference might destroy the effect of the contrast of colours ; so that a deep blue might appear black or less violet, while the yellow, being enfeebled, might seem greenish. Blue and Scarlet. — Deep blue and scarlet make ON THE COLOURS OF MILITARY UNIFORMS. 229 beautiful assortment, the blue giving fire to the scarlet ; the latter rendering the blue more pure. There is no doubt that for effect a clearer blue and a fresh orange would be preferable, if there be no white in the uniform. Green and Yellow . — This combination pleases by its gaiety, which suits cavalry of the line. But the green should be yellower and clearer than that which asso- ciates well with red ; for the twofold reason that the yellow, by neutralizing a portion of the yellow in the green, raises the colour of the blue, and consequently lessens the brilliancy of the green. Besides, this effect tends constantly to increase, as the yellow of the green fades sooner than its blue. On the other hand, the yellow cloth receiving red from the green, must not be taken too deep. This case furnishes a good example of the economical advantage of contrasts of colour gene- rally ; and it will be seen that good arrangements are so much more difficult to make, as we depart from the contrast of complementary colour. Of a single Colour and White. We must refer to our preceding observations with respect to the juxtaposition of white with colours (178) to reason upon these combinations in uniforms. Colours are heightened, their complementaries are added to the white, and effects are produced which are so much the more perceptible as the colours are less raised in tone. If the white is rusty the juxtaposition of blue will heighten its tint ; violet placed beside it will clear it, rendering it yellow ; green will increase its redness ; yellow, and especially orange yellow, will enfeeble it. A white uniform has a good effect, not only when white pantaloons are worn with a white coat, or with 230 HARMONY AND CONTRAST OF COLOURS. facings, collar, &c. of white to a light-coloured coat ; but it has a good effect also with light trousers ; for instance, light blue and white coat, or collar and facings. White trousers also do well with a uni-coloured coat. Bi-coloured Uniforms with White. White produces a really good effect only with blue and orange, or blue and red, being much inferior with green and yellow, or blue and yellow. It is, however, very suitable for trousers, with any combination of two agreeable colours in the coat. Nothing more clearly demonstrates the advantage of blue or red with white, than the difference between a uniform of deep red and blue without white, and the same with white facings and buff-skin belt, &c. Bi-coloured Uniforms with Black. Black enters advantageously into the composition of many uniforms of two luminous colours, such as scarlet, orange, yellow, or bright green. A scarlet coat with facings of greenish, rather than orange, yellow, is per- fectly adapted to black trousers. And black trousers may be associated with sombre colours in the other parts of the dress for a uniform which is not to be con- spicuous or seen far off. Uniform of more than two Colours, not comprising Black and White. Although three colours may be combined without producing a bad effect, yet I give the preference to a bi-coloured dress with a mixture of black and white. And I may remark here that if the sight of several colours be more agreeable than of one onfy, there are ON THE COLOURS OF MILITARY UNIFORMS. 231 disadvantages in the union of many colours, especially if the colours are scattered on different objects, or several parts of the same object. Uniform of several Shades of the same Colour, Strictly speaking, it is possible to make an agreeable arrangement of colours belonging to the same or neigh- bouring scales ; yet the difficulty of doing this, and the chances of success where there is a contrast of colour, determine me to reject the former, at least whenever brilliant colours are employed ; but for sombre-coloured arrangements they may be employed. In proof of this, I will mention the bad effect of those French uniforms, in which there is a juxtaposition of madder and of cochineal reds. Uniforms of two Tones of the same Scale, This arrangement is not successful, for the lighter loses its colour, and if the deep tone acquire it, it is scarcely ever advantageous.* We will not therefore dwell upon it. Of a Mono-coloured Uniform, If uniforms of contrasted colours are advantageous in an economical point of view, if light coloured uni- forms present advantages when it is desirable to exhibit to the enemy the numbers who oppose him, there are * It must be remembered that Chevreul speaks here of colours exclusively as to their optical effect, and that the very objection which he states to such an arrangement of colours, would be one of its best recommendations to the advocates of an obscure, in pre- ference to a conspicuous unifom, as for Rifle Corps. 232 HARMONY AND CONTRAST OF COLOURS. many cases in which the object is rather to conceal and dissimulate their presence, than to display them. Well, for such purposes, or if there is to be established a sort of hierarchy among the various corps, by means of dress, we may have recourse to a single and sombre- coloured uniform. The Influence of Superficial Extent upon Gomhinations of Colours in Polychromous Unifoims, I have already several times had occasion to speak of the influence of extent in the proportions of colours even when well associated, I must now add that it is not enough merely to make a satisfactory combination, but that to produce the best results from colours, they must be employed in suitable respective proportions. When a colour is in feeble proportion to another, it must be spread as equally as possible throughout the garment ; as, for example, in the uniform of the artil- lery, blue and scarlet ; the latter, although far less in superficial proportion, produces a very good effect, because it is distributed throughout the uniform. In a polychromous uniform, where one colour is found in several garments, we must avoid confounding the colour with the superposed or contiguous parts, so as to make one portion seem to belong to another. For example, the French regiments wear red trousers, with a blue coat turned up with the same red as the trousers. What happens ? At a certain distance the one seems a part of the other, and the blue coat-tails seem far too narrow. It would be easy to remedy this defect by putting blue with red braid for the portions of the coat turned up. From the above, I admit the two following prin- ON THE COLOURS OF MILITARY UNIFORMS. 233 ciples : — 1. Whenever the coat and trousers are of the same colour, and there is a second colour put upon the coat in feeble proportion, it must be repeated on the trousers, in a broad band, if the soldier wear boots, or in a braid, if he wear shoes. 2. Whenever the trousers are not of the colour which forms the basis of the coat, but of facings or distinctive parts, a band or simple braid of the main colour of the coat will restore to the trousers their distinctness. These remarks show how desirable it is that the choice o. colours, and especially of those which are distinctive of regiments or corps, should be the result of rules, established by their adaptation to the duties to be ren- dered by the regiments wearing them. INDEX A. Aerial perspective, 83. Analogy, harmonies of, 48. Arabesques, varieties of, 164. Architecture, Egyptian, employment of colours In, 138 ; Greek, 139 ; Gothic, 141 ; application of colours to the interior of edifices, 143. Art, judgment which a spectator forms as to an object of, 225 ; asso- ciations of ideas connected therewith, 226. Arts, which address the eye by employing coloured materials, considered relatively, 218 ; as coloured tapestries, carpets, mosaics, &c. 219 et seq.; coloured materials in fiat tints, 224. Association of ideas in judging of a work of art, 226. Assortments of different colours, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet, with white, black, and grey, 49 et seq. ; binary and tertiary, 50. Author’s inquiries, history of the, 201. B. Beauvais, tapestries of, 102 ; difference of from the Gobelins, 113. Binary assortments of colours, 50, 59. Binary combinations of primary colours with black, 54, 55. Binary mixture of primary colours, 104. Black, juxtaposition of coloured bodies with, 19 ; assortments of different colours with, 54, 63 et seq.; binary combinations of colours comple- mentary with, 55; not complementary with, 56; its association with luminous colours, 64 ; inferior to white in certain assortments, 65. Black and white, effects of their juxtaposition, 19. Black draperies, 171. Blue, complementary to orange, 16, 17, 18, 20; placed beside greenish- blue, 25; subtracted from green and from violet, 44; its arrange- ment with a binary colour, 63. Blue and black, effects of juxtaposition of, 20 ; combinations of, 55. Blue and grey, effects of juxtaposition of, 22. Blue and orange, assortments of, with white, 51 ; with black, 55 ; with grey, 60. Blue and violet, assortments of with white, 53; with black, 58; with grey, 62. Blue and white, effects of their juxtaposition, 18. Blue draperies, 170. 236 INDEX. Blue light, modifications produced by, 71. Bonnets, coloured, effect of upon the complexion, 171-4 ; rose-coloured, 173 ; green, yellow, violet, sky-blue, and orange, 174 ; colours of, suited for fair-haired women, 175 ; for black hair, 176. Borders, coloured, of paper-hanging, 123 ; flowered, 130, 131, 133. Broken colours, 35. Browns of wool and silk employed in tapestry and carpets, effect of con- trast on the, 208. C. Calico-printing, colours of, 1 18 ; false judgment of the value of recipes for colouring compositions, 119 ; laws of contrast demonstrated in, 119,120; modifications which colours undergo on different coloured grounds, 120. Carmelite mixture, 108. Carpets, of Savonnerie, 102, 222 ; assortment of colours for, 161; corre- sponding to paintings in chiaro-’scuro, 219, 222 ; in flat tints, 224 ; effect of contrast on the browns and lights of, 208. Chairs, colour of, for harmonizing with the interior of a house, 157. Chemical nature of coloured bodies, 23. Chiaro-’scuro, art of painting on the system of, 69 ; various modifications of coloured light, 69, 70 ; of white light, Ih et seq.; difiiculties of, 85, 86 ; paintings in, 219 et seq. Chromatic diagrams, 37 ; their construction, 39 ; their uses, 41 seq., Chromatic hemisphere, principles of the, 203. vChurches, coloured glass windows in, 113 et seq., 147, 223 ; general deco- ration of the interior of, 147 ; white glass windows, 148. Clothing, harmony and contrast of colours in, 165 ; of men, ih.; of women, 167. Coloured light, modifications of, 69 ef seq. Colouring in painting, 82 ei seq. (See Painting.) Colours, Harmony and Contrast of, 1 et seq. ; simultaneous contrast of, 4, 8, 9, 10; effects of juxtaposition of, 11, 18, 21, 24; primary and secondary, 25 ; various kinds of contrast, 29 ; definitions of terms, 34; different distinctions of, 35; chromatic diagrams, 37 et seq.; general harmony of, 46 ; assortments of, 49 et seq. ; modifications and effects of coloured light, 69 et seq.; in painting, 82; in aerial perspective, 83; harmony of local colours, 85 ; the laws of contrast, 89, 95 ; distribution of, 101 ; of textile fabrics, 102, 105 ; of glass windows, 113, 147 ; colour printing of calicos, papers, &c., 118 et seq.; of clothing, 165; applica- tion of to horticulture, plants, flowers, &c., 179 et seq.; employment of in architecture, 138-143; general principles of, 197; sight of, 198, 200 ; study of, 199 ; contiguous, 205 ; influence of one colour upon another, 206, 207; binary associations of, critically considered, 210; combination of, ih.; complex associations of, 214 ; of tapestries, carpets, mosaics, &c. 219 seq. Combinations of colours, 55. Complementaries of colours, 18-23, 43, 45. Complementary colours, mixture of, for threads, 105 ; combination of, 210. Complexions of women, colours of, in association with the drapery, 169-171; effect of head-dresses upon the, 171-4, 175, 176 ; results of dress as applicable to portrait painting, 178; dissimulating a tint of the, ib. INDEX. 237 Composition, predominance of a certain colour in, 100; distribution of colours in, 101. Compound colours, 26, 27, 28. Contrast of Colours, 1, 4, 8; law and formulae of, 8, 9, 10, 29 et seq.; simultaneous and successive, 29, 87; mixed, 29-33, 88; law of, 34; harmonies of, 48, 217 ; lectures on, at the Gobelins, 80 ; uses of the law of, 89 et seq.; principles of, 91 ; results of, 93 ; applications of the law of, 95 et seq. ; principles of in connexion with the production of tapestry, 109; law of demonstrated in calico-printing, 119-121; advantages of with regard to clothing, 165 ; harmonies of in gardening, 182, 183, 184 ; in the arrangement of plants and flowers, 194; effect of upon the browns and lights of wool and silk employed in tapestry and carpets, 208. Cornices for the interior of a house, 157. D. P.^>TLiGHT, modifications produced by the, 73. jfinitions of terms of art, 34. Diagrams, chromatic, 36-46. Distribution of colours in a composition, 100, 101. Draperies of women as associated with complexion, 169-171 ; rose -red, ib.; delicate green, yellow, violet, and blue, 170; orange, white, and black, 17J ; results applicable to portrait painting, 178. Dress of women, assortment of colours in the, 177. E. Egyptians, various colours used by the, 138. Eye, different states of the, in seeing colours, 200, 201, 202. F. Females, colours of their clothing, 167 ; the dress assorting with fair skins, ib . ; colours of the hair and head-dress of, 168 ; of the complexion and the contiguous drapery, 169. Figures, coloured, in paper hangings, 121-3. Flat tints, painting on the system of, 69, 81, 82, 217; for ornamenting boxes, tables, screens, &c., 218. Flowers, Coloured, in paper-hangings, 121 ; arrangement of according to their colours, 180; assortments of, when the plants are apart, 181; when they are indiscriminately mixed, 182 ; assortments of, as to har- monies of contrast and analogy, 182, 183 ; small masses of designated a bed, 187 ; law of contrasts in the arrangement of, 194. Foliage of ligneous plants, assortment of according to their colour, 184. Forest, definition of a, 186. Form, its influence in the effect of contrast of two colours, 213. Formulae which represent the law of simultaneous contrast of colours, 8. French gardening, 191. Furniture, tapestries for, 220. E. 238 INDEX. G. Galleries of the Fine Arts, on the interior decoration of, 150. Gardening, applications of colour to, 179 et seq. (See Horticulture.) Glass, Coloured, in Gothic church windows, 113 seq., 147 ; beautiful effects of, 116 ; employment of, 117 ; corresponding to paintings in chiaro-’scuro, 219, 223 ; in fiat tints, 22 4, 225. Gloss of wool and silk, its infiuence in the effect of contrast of two colours, 213. Gobelins, lectures at the, 80; tapestries of the, 102, 104; qualities which they must possess, 111 ; difference of, from the Beauvais, 113. Gothic architecture, employment of colours in, 141. Greek architecture, employment of colouring in, 139. Greek painters, 94. Green, complementary to red, 15, 17, 18, 20 ; to violet, 44. Green and black, effects of juxtaposition of, 20. Green and blue, change by juxtaposition, 27; assortments of with white, 53 ; with black, 58 ; with grey, 62. Green and grey, effects of juxtaposition of, 22. Green and violet, change by juxtaposition, 26 ; assortments of with white, 53 ; with black, 58. Green and white, effects of their juxtaposition, 18. Green and yellow, change by juxtaposition, 27. Green draperies, 170. Green light, modifications produced by, 71. Greenish yellow, complementary to violet, 3, 16, 17, 21. Greenish yellow and black, effects of juxtaposition of, 20. Greenish yellow and white, effects of their juxtaposition, 18. Grey, juxtaposition of coloured bodies with, 21; assortments of different colours with, 58, 63 seg. ; its association with luminous and sombre colours, 65, 66. Grounds, black, of paper-hangings, 125 ; various-coloured ones, 126-135. Grove, definition of a, 187. H. Hair, black, colours of bonnets suited for, 176. Hair, fair, colours of bonnets suited for, 175. Hair and head-dresses of women, colours of the, 168. Hangings, coloured, for the interior of a house, 152-7 ; colour of the wainscoting, relation to the, 155. Harmonies of contrast, 48, 217 ; analogy of in gardening, 182, 183, 184. Harmony of colours, 46 ; distinct kinds of, 48 ; law of, 95 ; between masses of trees in gardening and plantations, 192. Harmony and contrast of colours, 1 et seq. (See Colours.) Head-dresses of women, colours of the, 171 ; effect of upon the complexion, 171-4. Hieroglyphics, Egyptian, colouring of, 139. Horticulture, applications of colour to, 179 ; how to derive the greatest advantage from the various colours of flowers, 180 ; assortments of flowers, so far as they relate to the harmonies of contrast of colours, 181 ; contrast of hues, 182; harmonies of analogy, 182, 183 ; assortments of INDEX. 239 plants, 184 ; distribution of trees, 185 ; lines of plants, 187, 188; homo- geneous masses of plants, 189; varied and isolated masses, 190 ; har- mony between masses distant from each other, 192 ; arrangement of plantations, 193 ; symmetry and general harmony, 19G; general prin- ciples of, 197 et seq. Houses, decorations for the interior of, 152 ; hangings, 152-7; cornices, 157 ; chairs, sofas, &c., ib.; on decorating the dilferent rooms of the, 159; and their appropriate assortments, 160 ; carpets, 161 ; pictures, 162. Hues, definition of, 34, 35; harmony of, 48; harmony of contrast, ib. ; harmonies of contrast in flow’ers, 182 ; analogy of, 183. Human figures, tapestries for, 219. I. Imitation of colouring, 101. Indigo, complementary to orange-yellow, 3, 16, 17. Indigo and black, effects of juxtaposition of, 21. Indigo and grey, effects of juxtaposition of, 22. Indigo and red, changed by juxtaposition, 27. Indigo and violet, changed by juxtaposition, 27. Indigo and white, efiects of their juxtaposition, 19, Interiors of buildings, painters of, 101 ; various assortments of colours in, 143; stuffs with the wood of seats, ih.; frames for pictures and engrav- ings, ib.; of churches, 147; of museums and galleries, 149 ; of houses, 152 seq. ; when the walls are panelled, or covered with marble or stucco, 163. J. Juxtaposition of colours, 11,211,212; of coloured surfaces with white, 18; with black, 19 ; with grey, 21; of coloured bodies belonging to the same group of coloured rays, 24. L. Landscape, colours used in, 95 ; in paper-hangings, 121-3. Landscape gardening, 179. (See Horticulture.) Light, different rays of, 1 ; its combinations of colour, 55. Light, modifications of, 69 seq. Light, influence of on printed or written paper, 137 ; contrast of tone in, 138. Lights of wool and silk employed in tapestry and carpets, effects of con- trast on the, 208. Lines of plants, their arrangement, 187, 188. Luminous colours, 50 ; their association with black, 64 ; with grey, 65, 66. M. Marbles, in the interior of a building, assortment of colours for, 164. Men’s clothing, colours of, 165, 166. Mixed contrast of colours, 29-33, 88. Mixtures, of the three primary colours, 108 240 INBEX. Modifications of coloured light, 69, 70 et seq. ; of white light, 75 et seq. Mosaics, corresponding to paintings in chiaro-’scuro, 219, 222; in flat tints, 224. Museums, on the interior decoration of, 149, 151. K. Natural History, museums of, on the interior decoration of, 151. Non-complementary colours, combination of, 210, 211. O. Opposition of colours, 67. Orange complementary to blue, 3, 16, 17, 18, 20 ; placed in juxtaposition with scarlet-red, 24 ; complementary to green, 43 ; to violet,, 44 ; effects of its predominance in a picture, 100. Orange and black, effects of juxtaposition of, 20. Orange and blue, mixture of for coloured threads, 106. Orange and green, change by juxtaposition, 26. Orange and green, assortments of with white, 52 ; with black, 57 ; with grey, 61. Orange and grey, effects of juxtaposition of, 22. Orange and indigo, change by juxtaposition, 26. Orange and red, change by juxtaposition, 26. Orange and violet, assortments of with white, 52 ; with black, 57 ; with grey, 61. Orange and white, effects of their juxtaposition, 18. Orange and yellow, change by juxtaposition, 27 ; assortments of with white, 52 ; with black, 57 ; with grey, 61. Orange draperies, 171. Orange light, modifications produced by, 70. Orange-yellow, complementary to indigo, 16, 17, 21. P. Painters, Ancient, of Italy, their excellences, 87. Painting, Art of, 69 ; two systems of — chiaro-’scuro and flat tints, ib. ; on colouring in, 82 ; of aerial perspective, 83 ; harmony of the colours, 85,95; simultaneous contrast of colours in, 87; modification of light, 89 ; application of the law of contrast, 97-99 ; distribution of colours, 101; painters of interiors, ih.; imitation of coloured objects, 102 (see Gobelins Tapestry); difference of from tapestry, 111; relations existing between the subjects of, and the harmonies they admit of, 216 ; in the flat tints, 217; in chiaro-’scuro tapestries, carpets, mosaics, and coloured glass windows, corresponding to, 219 et seq. Panelling in the interior of a building, assortment of colour for, 163. Paper, printed or written, influence of light on, 137 ; contrast of tone, 138. Paper-hangings, colours for printing, 118, 121 ; designs for, 121 ; simul- taneous contrast of colours in relation to, 121, 123, 124; borders, 123, 130-3 ; black ground, 125 ; various coloured grounds, 126 etseq.; me- tallic gilt ornaments, 126, 129; printed or written characters, 136. tSDEX, 241 Park, definition of a, 187. Picture Galleries, on the intenor decoration of, 150. Pictures in the interior of buildings, assortment of colours for, 145; as- sortment of, for the interior of a house, 162, Plantations, arrangements ot, 193 ; lines of, ib. Plants, Ornamental, art of arranging according to the colours of their flowers, 180, 181 ; assortments of, according to the harmonies of contrast and analogy, 182, 183 ; according to their foliage, 184 ; distribution of, 185; lines of, 187, 188 ; screens of, 188, 189 ; masses of, 189, 190 ; dif- ferent names of, when employed to form a landscape, forest, wood, park, grove, group, thicket, &c., 186, 187; isolated ones, 190 ; arrange- ment of into plantations, 193 et seq.; repetition of the same species, 194, 195 ; variety of arrangement, 195 ; symmetry of parts, and their general harmony, 196. Portrait Painting, predominating colour in, 97 ; hints respecting the colour of the drapery, 169-171 ; results of dress and complexion applicable to, 178 ; dissimulating a tint of the complexion, ib. Position, varied, effects of, 75. Prepossessions, influence of, 225. Primary Colours, 25, 36; arrangements of, 63; binary mixture of, 104; mixture of, in such proportions that they do not become neutralized, 108. Printing in colours, 118 ; of calico patterns and paper hangings, 118, 121, 123 ; of carpets, 161. Pure colours, modifications of, 42, 45. R. Rats of solar light, 1. Rays, Coloured, juxtaposition of coloured bodies with, 24. Reading, on the assortment of colours for, by diffused daylight, 138. Red, complementary to green, 3, 15, 16, 18, 20; placed in contact with orange-red, 24 ; its arrangement with a binary colour, 63. Red and black, effects of juxtaposition of, 20. Red and blue, change of by juxtaposition, 27 ; assortments of with white, 52 ; with black, 56 ; with grey, 60 ; mixture of, for coloured threads, 105. Red and green, assortments of with white, 51 ; with black, 55 ; with grey, 59 ; mixture of, for coloured threads, 106. Red and grey, effects of the juxtaposition of, 21. Red and violet, assortments of with white, 52 ; with black, 56 ; with grey, 61. Red and white, effects of their juxtaposition, 18. Red and yellow, change by juxtaposition, 27 ; assortments of with white, 52 ; with black, 56 ; with grey, 60 ; mixture of for coloured threads, 104, Reflection, laws of, 75. Rose-red draperies, 169. S. Savonneree carpets, 102, 222. Scales of colours, definition of, 34; chromatic, 36 et seq.; their different tones, 47 ; harmony of, 48 ; harmony of contrast of, ib.; of wool and silk employed in tapestry and carpet, 208. School of painters, 226. Screen of plants, 187, 188. 242 INDEX. Sculpture Galleries, on the interior decoration of, 150. Seats in the interior of buildings, assortment of colours for, 143. Secondary colours, 25, 26. Shrubs, small masses of, designated a bed, 187. Sight of colours, 198, 200. Silk employed in tapestry and carpets, effect of contrast upon the browns and lights of, 208. Simple colours, pass by juxtaposition into compound colours, 25. Simultaneous contrast of colours, 4, 8, 9, 10, 29 ; application of the law of, 34 ; in painting, 87 ; in calico-printing, 119, 121 ; principles of, 205. Skin, the coloured rays which may reflect upon the, 171. Skins, copper- coloured, black, or olive, assortment of dress suited for each, 177. Sofas, colour of, for harmonizing with the interior of a house, 157. Solar light, rays of, 1. Sombre colours, 50 ; proportion of to luminous ones, 66. Spotty, use of the term, 101. Stained glass windows, 113 seq., 147. (See Glass.) Stripes, Coloured, juxtaposition of, 24. Stuffs, Coloured, modiflcations of, 78, 79 ; in the interior of buildings, assort* ment of colours for, 143. Successive contrast of colours, 29. Sun, modifications produced by the light of the, 73. T. Tapestries, 102 ; of the Gobelins and of Beauvais, 102,'l 04 ; qualities which they must possess. 111 ; difference of from the Beauvais, 113 ; principle of contrast in the production of, 109 ; difference of, from painting. 111 ; requisites for assimilating it to painting, 112 ; patterns for, ib.; effect of contrast on the browns and lights of, 208 ; principles involved ip the colours of, 219 ; with human figures, 219, 224 ; for furniture, 220, 224 ; critical remarks on, 221; corresponding to paintings in chiaro-’scuro, 219 ; in flat tints, 224. Ternary assortments of colours, 50, 51, 59. Ternary combinations of colours complementary with black, 55 ; not com- plementary, 56. . Textile fabrics, colour-printing on, 118. Thickets of trees, different kinds of, 187. Threads, coloured to make mixtures of, 102, 104 et seq.; red and yellow, lb.; red and blue, 105 ; yellow and blue, ib.; mixture of complementary colours, 105. Tint of the complexion, how to dissimulate it in portrait painting, 178, 179. Tone, contrast of, 4 ; experimental demonstrations, 7 ; the height of to be considered, 66 ; contrast of on written or printed paper, 138. Tones, definition of, 34 ; of the same scale of colour, 47 ; of the scales of wool and silk, judging their equidistance, 209. Trees, assortment of in gardens according to the colour of their foliage, 184 ; distribution and planting of, in masses, 185 ; different terms applied to groups of, when employed to form a landscape, 186, 187 ; harmony between masses of, 192. INDEX. 243 V. Vandyke, masterpieces of, 99. Violet, complementary to greenish-yellow, 16, 17, 18, 20; placed in juxta- position with scarlet-red, 24. Violet and black, effects of juxtaposition of, 21 ; combinations of, 55. Violet and blue, change by juxtaposition, 27. Violet and grey, effects of juxtaposition of, 22. Violet and red, change by juxtaposition, 26. Violet and white, effects of their juxtaposition, 19. Violet draperies, 170. Violet light, modifications produced by, 72. W. Wainscoting for the interior of buildings, 151 ; colour of, 155, 156. White, juxtaposition of coloured surfaces with, 18; modifications of, 19 ; assortments of different colours with, 50, 63; ternary assortments of colours not complementary with white, 51. White draperies, 171. TVTiite light, various modifications of, 75 seq. Windows, of coloured glass, 113 et seq., 219, 223; in churches, 147, 149 of white glass, 148, 149. Women’s clothing, colours of, 167 ; assortment of colours in, according to complexion, 177. Wood, in the interior of a building, assortments of colours for, 164. Wood, definition of a, 186. Wool, employed in tapestry and carpets, effect of contrast upon the browns and lights of, 208. Y. Yellow, placed beside orange-yellow, 24 ; its arrangement with a binary colour, 63. Yellow and blue, changed by juxtaposition, 27; assortments of with white, 53; with black, 57; with grey, 62; mixture for coloured threads, 105. Yellow and green, assortments of with white^ 53 ; with black, 57 ; with grey, 61. Yellow and grey, effects of juxtaposition of, 22. Yellow and violet, assortments of with white, 51 , with black, 56 ; mixture of, for coloured threads, 107. Yellow draperies, 170. Yellow light, modifications produced by, 71. Yellowish -green, complementary to violet, 19. Yellowish-orange, complementary to indigo, 19. THE END. LONDON : SAVILL AND BDWAEDS, PEINTEKS, CHANDOS-STKEET, CO VENT GABDEN.