In Aristotle’s On Colours, all colours are derived from mixing light with either black or white. He relates them to the four elements: water, air, earth, and fire. Fire and the sun are golden, while air and water are naturally white. The earth is also naturally white, but seems coloured because it is dyed. “If the sun’s light consisted of but one sort of rays, there would be but one colour in the whole world”. In his book Opticks, Isaac Newton demonstrates that clear white light is composed of seven visible colours. Goethe challenges Newton’s view, arguing that colour is not a scientific measurement but a subjective experience, perceived differently by each viewer. —Michael Anastassiades
Edited by Michael Anastassiades
Texts by Michael Anastassiades and Goshka Macuga
