The Secret Lives of Color
Note from Kathrin (aka Blazing Shuttles): I am taken with this beautifully printed hardback book! For those of us who love color and want to know it better - the ins and outs, the history and secrets - this is the book. The outer 1" of each page displays the color family being discussed in that section creating a rainbow of colors as you flip through the pages. You can stop at any place in the book to start reading. Kassia explores 75 shades, dyes, and hues broken into 10 color families. The section on Red covers the history and significance of red in general and she chooses Scarlet, Cochineal, Vermilion, Rosso corsa, Hematite, Madder, and Dragon's blood to cover in depth. Next is the Purple section which tells us the stories of Tyrian purple, Archil, Magenta, Mauve, Helioptroe, and Violet. Who knew there were so many colorful stories to tell?
For even more encouragement, check out this link! https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/the-secret-lives-of-color/?fbclid=IwAR2s5oU4Y9iMffBqNFzn8WV1MYZQNlB8dI1mYfrLySnMA3-I3r9ACQRmyeo
The unforgettable, unknown history of colors and the vivid stories behind them in a beautiful multi-colored volume
“Beautifully written . . . Full of anecdotes and fascinating research, this elegant compendium has all the answers.” –NPR, Best Books of 2017
The Secret Lives of Color tells the unusual stories of seventy-five fascinating shades, dyes and hues. From blonde to ginger, the brown that changed the way battles were fought to the white that protected against the plague, Picasso’s blue period to the charcoal on the cave walls at Lascaux, acid yellow to kelly green, and from scarlet women to imperial purple, these surprising stories run like a bright thread throughout history.
In this book, Kassia St. Clair has turned her lifelong obsession with colors and where they come from (whether Van Gogh’s chrome yellow sunflowers or punk’s fluorescent pink) into a unique study of human civilization. Across fashion and politics, art and war, the secret lives of color tell the vivid story of our culture.
“This passionate and majestic compedium will leave you bathed in the gorgeous optics of light.” —Elle
