World According to Colour

A Cultural History

By James Fox | Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

About the book

'Extraordinary. An intellectual feast as well as a visual one'
Edmund de Waal, author of The Hare with Amber Eyes

The world comes to us in colour. But colour lives as much in our imaginations as it does in our surroundings, as this scintillating book reveals. Each chapter immerses the reader in a single colour, drawing together stories from the histories of art and humanity to illuminate the meanings it has been given over the eras and around the globe. Showing how artists, scientists, writers, philosophers, explorers and inventors have both shaped and been shaped by these wonderfully myriad meanings, James Fox reveals how, through colour, we can better understand their cultures, as well as our own. Each colour offers a fresh perspective on a different epoch, and together they form a vivid, exhilarating history of the world. 'We have projected our hopes, anxieties and obsessions onto colour for thousands of years,' Fox writes. 'The history of colour, therefore, is also a history of humanity.'

Editions of World According to Colour

Paperback
ISBN 9780141976655
EBook
ISBN 9780141976662

Read an Excerpt

'Extraordinary. An intellectual feast as well as a visual one'
Edmund de Waal, author of The Hare with Amber Eyes

The world comes to us in colour. But colour lives as much in our imaginations as it does in our surroundings, as this scintillating book reveals. Each chapter immerses the reader in a single colour, drawing together stories from the histories of art and humanity to illuminate the meanings it has been given over the eras and around the globe. Showing how artists, scientists, writers, philosophers, explorers and inventors have both shaped and been shaped by these wonderfully myriad meanings, James Fox reveals how, through colour, we can better understand their cultures, as well as our own. Each colour offers a fresh perspective on a different epoch, and together they form a vivid, exhilarating history of the world. 'We have projected our hopes, anxieties and obsessions onto colour for thousands of years,' Fox writes. 'The history of colour, therefore, is also a history of humanity.'

Frequently Asked Questions

What is World According to Colour about?

'Extraordinary. An intellectual feast as well as a visual one'
Edmund de Waal, author of The Hare with Amber Eyes

The world comes to us in colour. But colour lives as much in our imaginations as it does in our surroundings, as this scintillating book reveals. Each chapter immerses the reader in a single colour, drawing together stories from the histories of art and humanity to illuminate the meanings it has been given over the eras and around the globe. Showing how artists, scientists, writers, philosophers, explorers and inventors have both shaped and been shaped by these wonderfully myriad meanings, James Fox reveals how, through colour, we can better understand their cultures, as well as our own. Each colour offers a fresh perspective on a different epoch, and together they form a vivid, exhilarating history of the world. 'We have projected our hopes, anxieties and obsessions onto colour for thousands of years,' Fox writes. 'The history of colour, therefore, is also a history of humanity.'

What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in World According to Colour?

The Arts > The visual, decorative or fine arts: treatments and subjects > History of art

Where can I read a sample of World According to Colour?

You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780141976655

Who is/are the Author/s of the book World According to Colour?

James Fox

Who is the Publisher of the book World According to Colour?

Penguin Books Ltd

What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?

World According to Colour is available as paperback(ISBN 9780141976655) and ebook(ISBN 9780141976662)

Where can I buy World According to Colour online or support local independent bookshops?

You can buy World According to Colour from below

Where can I buy World According to Colour?