Diagram showing the universal relation of colours, 'Chromatics’, by George Field

An image of Diagram showing the universal relation of colours. One of the extraneous objects inserted by George Field into this presentation copy of his book 'Chromatics'. Field, George (British, 1777-1854). Graphite with coloured wash.
Notes: The chemist George Field constructed a colour-circle from the basic colours of red, yellow and blue, thus wishing to take up a position opposed to Newton. Secondary and tertiary colours arise through progressive superimposition. Meanings were allocated to the colours: hot (red) and cold (blue) stand opposite one another; likewise advancing and retiring. George Field also saw a connection between colour and sound, and so draws our attention to one of the stumbling blocks of the era: namely, an understanding of the carrier medium of light.The colour-circle appeared in 1846 in a book about 'Chromatics', which dealt with the analogies and harmonies of colours. 'Chromatics, of the Analogy, Harmony and Philosophy of Colours', London 1846 (new issue of the 1st edition of 1817).

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Diagram showing the universal relation of colours. One of the extraneous objects inserted by George Field into this presentation copy of his book 'Chromatics'. Field, George (British, 1777-1854). Graphite with coloured wash. Notes: The chemist George Field constructed a colour-circle from the basic colours of red, yellow and blue, thus wishing to take up a position opposed to Newton. Secondary and tertiary colours arise through progressive superimposition. Meanings were allocated to the colours: hot (red) and cold (blue) stand opposite one another; likewise advancing and retiring. George Field also saw a connection between colour and sound, and so draws our attention to one of the stumbling blocks of the era: namely, an understanding of the carrier medium of light.The colour-circle appeared in 1846 in a book about 'Chromatics', which dealt with the analogies and harmonies of colours. 'Chromatics, of the Analogy, Harmony and Philosophy of Colours', London 1846 (new issue of the 1st edition of 1817).

Image data

Accession Number: PB 1817.1-17
Photograph copyright © The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge.
Aperture: f/19.0
Focal length: 80
Camera: Hasselblad H4D-31
Photographer name: Michael Jones
Image height: 1025 pixels
Image width: 787 pixels
Processed with: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5.4 (Windows)
Filesize: 665.47kB
Exposure time: 1/125
ISO Speed: 100
Fnumber: 19/1
Captured: 2017:02:27 16:04:39

Key words

19th Century British School chromatic chromatics colour colour theory coloured colours diagram diagrammatic drawing Fitz_MSPB George Field stars

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            "Diagram showing the universal relation of colours, 'Chromatics’, by George Field"
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