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Goethe’s Theory of Colours

by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

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  1. 1Epigraph
  2. 2Dedication
  3. 3The Translator’s Preface
  4. 4Preface to the First Edition of 1810
  5. 5Part IV — General Characteristics
  6. 6Introduction
  7. 7Part I — Physiological Colours
  8. 8I — Effects of Light and Darkness on the Eye
  9. 9II — Effects of Black and White Objects on the Eye
  10. 10III — Grey Surfaces and Objects
  11. 11IV — Dazzling Colourless Objects
  12. 12V — Coloured Objects
  13. 13VI — Coloured Shadows
  14. 14VII — Faint Lights
  15. 15VIII — Subjective Halos
  16. 16Pathological Colours — Appendix
  17. 17Part II — Physical Colours
  18. 18IX — Dioptrical Colours
  19. 19X — Dioptrical Colours of the First Class
  20. 20XI — Dioptrical Colours of the Second Class — Refraction
  21. 21Subjective Experiments
  22. 22XII — Refraction Without the Appearance of Colour
  23. 23XIII — Conditions of the Appearance of Colour
  24. 24XIV — Conditions Under Which the Appearance of Colour Increases
  25. 25XV — Explanation of the Foregoing Phenomena
  26. 26XVI — Decrease of the Appearance of Colour
  27. 27XVII — Grey Objects Displaced by Refraction
  28. 28XVIII — Coloured Objects Displaced by Refraction
  29. 29XIX — Achromatism and Hyperchromatism
  30. 30XX — Advantages of Subjective Experiments — Transition to the Objec…
  31. 31Objective Experiments
  32. 32XXI — Refraction Without the Appearance of Colour
  33. 33XXII — Conditions of the Appearance of Colour
  34. 34XXIII — Conditions of the Increase of Colour
  35. 35XXIV — Explanation of the Foregoing Phenomena
  36. 36XXV — Decrease of the Appearance of Colour
  37. 37XXVI — Grey Objects
  38. 38XXVII — Coloured Objects
  39. 39XXVIII — Achromatism and Hyperchromatism
  40. 40XXIX — Combination of Subjective and Objective Experiments
  41. 41XXX — Transition
  42. 42XXXI — Catoptrical Colours
  43. 43XXXII — Paroptical Colours
  44. 44XXXIII — Epoptical Colours
  45. 45Part III — Chemical Colours
  46. 46XXXIV — Chemical Contrast
  47. 47XXXV — White
  48. 48XXXVI — Black
  49. 49XXXVII — First Excitation of Colour
  50. 50XXXVIII — Augmentation of Colour
  51. 51XXXIX — Culmination
  52. 52XL — Fluctuation
  53. 53XLI — Passage Through the Whole Scale
  54. 54XLII — Inversion
  55. 55XLIII — Fixation
  56. 56XLIV — Intermixture, Real
  57. 57XLV — Intermixture, Apparent
  58. 58XLVI — Communication, Actual
  59. 59XLVII — Communication, Apparent
  60. 60XLVIII — Extraction
  61. 61XLIX — Nomenclature
  62. 62L — Minerals
  63. 63Li — Plants
  64. 64LII — Worms, Insects, Fishes
  65. 65LIII — Birds
  66. 66LIV — Mammalia and Human Beings
  67. 67LV — Physical and Chemical Effects of the Transmission of Light Thr…
  68. 68LVI — Chemical Effect in Dioptrical Achromatism
  69. 69Part IV — General Characteristics
  70. 70The Facility With Which Colour Appears
  71. 71The Force of Colour
  72. 72The Definite Nature of Colour
  73. 73Combination of the Two Principles
  74. 74Augmentation to Red
  75. 75Junction of the Two Augmented Extremes
  76. 76Completeness the Result of Variety
  77. 77Completeness the Result of Variety in Colour
  78. 78Harmony of the Complete State
  79. 79Facility With Which Colour May Be Made to Tend Either to the Plus o…
  80. 80Evanescence of Colour
  81. 81Permanence of Colour
  82. 82Part V — Relation to Other Pursuits — Relation to Philosophy
  83. 83Relation to Mathematics
  84. 84Relation to the Technical Operations of the Dyer
  85. 85Relation to Physiology and Pathology
  86. 86Relation to Natural History
  87. 87Relation to General Physics
  88. 88Relation to the Theory of Music
  89. 89Concluding Observations on Terminology
  90. 90Part VI — Effect of Colour With Reference to Moral Associations
  91. 91Yellow
  92. 92Red-Yellow
  93. 93Yellow-Red
  94. 94Blue
  95. 95Red-Blue
  96. 96Red
  97. 97Green
  98. 98Completeness and Harmony
  99. 99Yellow and Blue
  100. 100Yellow and Red
  101. 101Blue and Red
  102. 102Yellow-Red and Blue-Red
  103. 103Combinations Non-Characteristic
  104. 104Relation of the Combinations to Light and Dark
  105. 105Considerations Derived From the Evidence of Experience and History
  106. 106Æsthetic Influence
  107. 107Chiaro-Scuro
  108. 108Tendency to Colour
  109. 109Keeping
  110. 110Colour in General Nature
  111. 111Characteristic Colouring
  112. 112Harmonious Colouring
  113. 113Genuine Tone
  114. 114False Tone
  115. 115Weak Colouring
  116. 116The Motley
  117. 117Dread of Theory
  118. 118Ultimate Aim
  119. 119Grounds
  120. 120Pigments
  121. 121Allegorical, Symbolical, Mystical Application of Colour
  122. 122Concluding Observations

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