The Colours of History

Did you know that orange is named for the fruit? That before the fruit arrived in Britain, the colour was labelled yellow- red? Did you know that orange once appeared on the flag of ‘Orangemen’- the Netherlands- originally? You will have to read ‘The Colours of History’ to learn why it is no longer present!

‘The Colours of History’ is a fantastic book. It is arranged like a traditional colour wheel. Individual histories of a hue within a colour are selected. The derivation, content, development and application of each is explained. Its users, the people involved in the colour, from painters to couturiers to tribes, are identified. We are told where we might sight this colour, and how it has evolved into a 21st application.

Reading ‘The Colours of History‘ caused me to exclaim constantly. There was so much I learned, such as the history of chrome yellow, or the distribution of cochineal! I love the way each double page focus colour is explored so thoroughly and prescriptively.

‘The Colours of History‘ is a superb title, for readers, artists, scholars and independent booksellers!