by Victoria Finlay
The story of color - history, tradition and legend
centred around the work of artists from around the world
Reviewed by: Guy Brandon
About Guy Brandon
"Color: Stories from the Paintbox" is not the most riveting of titles for a
book, and one that I generally would have left alone without a second
glance. How much, after all, can be said about color? I was pleasantly
surprised to find that this is not a book about chemical processes or
industrial science, or even fashion. It is about the people behind the
paints and pigments that have been used for centuries - the people who
travelled, researched, invented, developed, spied and stole to produce the
colors we are familiar with only in the form of the finished artwork. As
such, it is quite unique, and a marvellous book to dip into or read through.
Victoria Finlay's efforts to track down and record the stories of artists
and artisans throughout history, from all around the world, makes for a
wonderfully captivating and enchanting book. There is very little modern
science here, other than a cursory nod to the electromagnetic spectrum for
the sake of completeness in the introduction (alchemy, on the other hand,
features rather more heavily). Neither is there much from recent years; most
of the stories here take place before the 20th century, and often from
centuries and even millennia earlier. This is a history book, and like most
history outside the sanitised school textbook stuff, it is very colorful.
Wars have been financed by and fought because of these paints and pigments;
rivalry, romance, intrigue and corruption are all brought to life in the
pages of this book.
The author travelled very widely to research her work, meeting and talking
to a large number of people. Their stories, and the stories and traditions
of their ancestors, are included here in similarly entrancing style. Each
chapter looks at a different color or shade (ochre, black and brown, white,
and then one for each color of the rainbow), and with it, the lives of
people and nations throughout history. Victoria Finlay is a very capable
writer, and has worked hard to uncover some interesting stories. Her
personal quest to research the history of color is recorded in detail, and
her enthusiasm for the subject is infectious. "Color: Stories from the
Paintbox" is a wonderful tribute to her efforts, and those of scientists,
adventurers and artists through the ages.
Click here to buy this book, or read more about it at Amazon.com: Color: Stories from the Paintbox
Copyright © by Guy Brandon, 2002
Reviewed by Guy Brandon:
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