A glorious book about colour in, yes, glorious colour
If you’re like us, you love it whenever you discover a glorious new shade of Pantone colour. And we love good book that combines art, history, science, and a healthy dose of weirdness. Which is just what The Mystery of Colour and How We Solved It does, published by Thames & Hudson and written by colour expert David Coles.
The book, illustrated beautifully by Margaux Samson-Abadie, takes readers young and old on a vibrant trip through history to discover how humans learned to capture the colours of the natural world.
Royal purples, brilliant blues, glittering greens and punchy reds were once precious commodities, extracted from everything from minerals and plants to crushed beetles, burnt bones and sea snails. Indeed, the fact that colour was once made from crushed insects, burnt bones and sea snails gives it plenty of personality beyond being simply a pretty book!
Ever wondered where your favourite colour actually came from? Before the modern paint aisle and the Pantone wheel offered every shade imaginable, artists had to get seriously inventive – and occasionally rather gruesome – to create their palettes.
The book brings together curious historical stories, scientific discoveries and iconic artworks to reveal how colour has shaped the way we see – and make – the world.
It’s the sort of book that manages to be educational without ever feeling like homework. Expect plenty of “Really? They made that colour from what?” moments alongside a fascinating look at the ingenuity behind the pigments we now take for granted.
A gorgeous introduction to art, science and history, The Mystery of Colour and How Solved It should appeal to curious kids, budding artists and adults who still like discovering that something as everyday as a tube of paint has a rather extraordinary backstory.
‘The Mystery of Colour’ is available from good bookstores and online through Thames & Hudson, RRP $34.99.
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