Goethe's Color Theory: Where Rainbows Meet Philosophy (and Maybe a Few Unicorns) — Ann Richman Art (2024)

Welcome to the third part of my Color Theory blog series. I aim to learn about color theory to improve my art and share what I’ve found with you so you might do the same.

If you missed the first two blogs in this series here are the links:

• Mastering the Palette: A Beginner's Guide to Color Theory - In this blog, I review basic concepts of how we see color and I define color theory terms.

• Color Theory Part 2: Exploring the Harmony of Complementary Colors - In part 2, I delve into complementary colors and provide examples of master paintings that effectively use color theory principles.

As I’ve mentioned before, there is so much information about color theory, that it is overwhelming. For the remainder of this series, I will focus on specific people who have contributed significantly to our current understanding of color theory. As part of each analysis, I will look at artists who studied and put into practice the principles of each color theorist. I will do my best to synthesize the information into smaller pieces so that it may be more helpful.

Today I will delve into the world of Goethe. After I describe some of his musings on Color Theory, I’ll analyze two J.M.W. Turner paintings to observe the theory put into artistic practice. Finally, I’ll briefly suggest three ways I plan to employ Goethe’s color theory principles as I move forward on my art journey.

Contributions of JohannWolfgang von Goethe

Goethe’s Background

I briefly discussed Newton’s contributions to color theory in Part 1. To briefly sum up Newton’s discovery- he theorized that light was made up of a spectrum of 7 colors that could be seen through a prism. Therefore, he focused on how we see color as a result of light-striking objects.

The next important player I wanted to investigate sequentially speaking is Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

Geothe was born in Frankfurt, Germany in 1749. He reminds me of Leonardo DaVinci because he was a “Renaissance Man”, who believed that humans are limitless to develop their capacities as much as possible. He sure did seem limitless in his abilities- he was a poet, playwright, novelist, scientist, statesman, theatre director, artist, and critic! Goethe studied law but found his true passion in drawing and writing. Throughout his life, he wrote across various genres, including poetry, drama, novels, and scientific papers. He is considered to be the most influential German writer.

Goethe became obsessed with learning about color after a trip to Italy where he interviewed artists. He questioned them regarding why they chose specific colors when rendering paintings. To his dismay, no one could provide a clear answer. As a result, he went home determined to study color to answer those same questions himself.

In the following years, he made many observations on color in nature. He also experimented with light using prisms and lightboxes. These investigations led him to develop his conclusions which were published in 1810. The Theory of Colours is over 400 pages long, and he considered it his most significant contribution.

Goethe’s Color Theory

Goethe thought Newton’s depiction of light and color was too simplistic. Goethe approached color from a holistic and subjective perspective, focusing on its psychological and philosophical properties. As a result, he tackled three main aspects of color in his book.

1. For the first part of his theory, he tackled the physiology of how humans see color. He suggested that we see color not just from light, but from when light interacts with darkness. This was not an original thought by Goethe, rather this concept has its roots in Aristotle’s writings.

2. The second part addressed the psychological impacts that colors have on people. This portion is also philosophical because he relates the darkness and lightness of colors, which he calls polarity, to resulting emotions. He also believed colors may have different emotional impacts on people based on their cultural roots.

3. The third part of his color theory was related to the chemical composition of colors within objects such as flowers. He also went into detail about paint mixing in this part. Because this blog will be lengthy enough with the first two parts of his theory, I will leave out a discussion on this portion for today.

Part 1- Physiology of Seeing Color

Goethe believed that something unclear or cloudy, called a "turbid medium," played a role in how we see colors. Think about how particles in the atmosphere can make the sky look more colorful, such as clouds or smoke. This idea challenged the common belief that colors solely come from light, proposing that there's more to it, including the influence of shadows and unclear substances.

Look at the image above. Goethe observed four color spectrums using prisms- 2 primary and 2 secondary spectrums. The spectrums changed based on how far away the light was from the light arising from the prism.

He noted that color arises at light-dark edges, and spectrums occur where these colored edges overlap. Look at the prism on the right. The 2 main spectrums are coming out of the areas where light and dark intersect.

Where the light interacts with the dark, you will see blue and then violet. Violet is the more intense form of blue where there is less light. Blue is closer to the light side. Goethe would say that blue is darkness, tempered by light. This is the first spectrum he saw.

Where the dark interacts with the light you can see red and yellow. Red is the more intense form of yellow. Yellow is closer to the light side. Goethe would say that yellow is light, tempered by darkness. This was the second spectrum he noted.

He posited that yellow and blue were the main colors of these spectra. This is opposed to Newton’s theory, which states that there are 7 main colors - red, yellow, blue, green, blue, indigo, and violet.

But Geothe didn’t stop with yellow and blue. His experiments showed if you let the light extend long enough (widen the aperture) from these two spectra (heading to the left side of the diagram above)- you will get two more spectra. When blue mixes with yellow- you get green. And then when red mixes with violet- you get magenta (or purple).

If you are confused, don’t give up thinking about it! I have been trying to wrap my brain around this for a couple of weeks while writing this blog. It is strange to think about. I personally think this is the coolest thing that I’ve learned from Goethe. I believe that noticing what happens at the light and dark borders can help us to better represent color in our artworks.

To try and make sense of it, look at the picture I took below. This is a morning sky just before sunrise. Therefore, I was standing in the dark which was just starting to be intersected by the light of the sun.

You can see two of Goethe’s spectrums in this photograph. Starting at the top we have violet, which is lightened by the sun to blue the closer you get to the horizon. Then we have yellow which deepens to red as the sky gets closer to where the sun is coming up. I can even see a tiny bit of teal where the blue and yellow overlap in the middle.

Goethe said that the reason I can see the colors at the horizon is because of the atmosphere. This is where the “turbid medium” comes into play. The light energy bounces around the particles in the sky allowing us to see the colors more effectively.

After I learned this principle, I started to notice more colors in the juxtaposition of light and dark. The same thing is true at sunsets.

So why is the sky light blue during the day?

On a clear day, the sky appears brilliant blue overhead, fading to lighter shades toward the horizon.

If you were to climb a tall mountain, the overhead blue darkens progressively to violet, then black. This change occurs because you are viewing darkness through the atmosphere, which is illuminated by the sun.

The thickness of the atmosphere determines the blue's intensity—the thicker, the lighter the blue. Goethe noted that the atmosphere (the turbid medium) acts as a light-filled medium, brightening the dark color of space gradually into shades of blue.

Why is the sun white or yellow at the top of the sky and yellow-orange-red at sunset?

Red and yellow originate from the sun's changing colors. Overhead, the sun appears yellow, darkening to red near the horizon at sunset. Here, we're seeing light through the atmosphere, which darkens with thickness. As we ascend, the sun whitens with thinner atmosphere. Goethe observed these color transformations, understanding how they arise solely from interplays of light and dark.

When the sun is overhead on a clear day it is yellow or even white. It is lightly colored because it is located where the atomosphere is thinner. (This is the reverse of what is happening with the color blue- which is why Goethe said that yellow and blue were polar opposites).

As the sun sets, it darkens in color towards red as it moves closer to the horizon at sunset. In this case, we are looking at the light through the atmosphere, and the role of this medium is now to darken what is seen as the turbid medium increases.

Goethe’s Color Wheel

Goethe created a different color wheel than Newton to make sense of what he observed. He wanted to put yellow and blue as the main colors of his wheel because he thought they were the origin of all other colors. Then he has violet as the darkened version of blue, and red as the darkened version of yellow. When you mix red and violet, you get purple (he called it magenta), and when you mix yellow and blue you get green (or cyan).

Goethe observed that certain colors appear to intensify or complement each other when placed side by side. He referred to these pairs of colors as "opposed colors." For example, he noted that when you place red next to green, each color seems to enhance the intensity of the other.

Goethe found this phenomenon intriguing and proposed that opposed colors have a reciprocal effect on each other in the eye. This observation led him to arrange his color wheel symmetrically, with opposing colors positioned opposite each other. He believed that understanding the relationship between opposing colors could enhance our perception and appreciation of color harmony.

This meshes with what I learned in looking into complementary colors in part 2 of my blog.

Part 2- Psychology of Color

Goethe was a pioneer in trying to understand color from a psychological perspective. This is a whole science in itself today. You probably know that marketers study colors and their impacts on people to sell more effectively. Likewise, designers and graphic artists study to learn the importance of color choices on mood and behavior.

Goethe started all of that. He emphasized that color perception is subjective and influenced by individual experiences, emotions, and cultural context. He also explored the symbolic meanings attributed to different colors, suggesting that they carry cultural and psychological significance. Goethe categorized colors into different groups based on their perceived qualities, such as warm and cool tones, and studied their effects on human perception.

Here is a rundown of Goethe’s thoughts on the colors in the color wheel plus black and white:

1. Red: Goethe associated red with the highest tension and liveliness among colors. It signifies both warmth and violence, evoking strong emotional responses such as passion, love, and anger.

2. Yellow: Yellow, according to Goethe, is the color closest to light. It represents cheerfulness, joy, and intellectuality. However, he also noted that excessive yellow can lead to feelings of anxiety or unease.

3. Green: Goethe viewed green as the most restful color for the human eye. It symbolizes growth, nature, and balance. Green has a harmonizing effect and is often associated with renewal and vitality.

4. Blue: Blue is the color of darkness and depth. It conveys a sense of calmness, serenity, and infinity. However, he also noted that blue can evoke feelings of coldness and melancholy if used excessively.

5. Orange: Goethe considered orange a mixture of red and yellow, combining the warmth and energy of red with the brightness of yellow. It represents a dynamic and lively energy, often associated with enthusiasm, creativity, and warmth.

6. Violet: Violet, being a blend of blue and red, embodies both the calmness of blue and the passion of red. It represents mystery, spirituality, and luxury. Goethe viewed violet as a color that stimulates imagination and introspection.

7. White: White, according to Goethe, is the color of pure light. It symbolizes purity, innocence, and clarity. White can create feelings of spaciousness and openness, but excessive white may lead to sterility or coldness.

8. Black: Black, being the absence of light, represents darkness, mystery, and depth. It can convey elegance, formality, and power. However, Goethe also warned that too much black can cause feelings of heaviness or oppression.

Goethe also divided up colors into warm and cool tones. He arranged his color wheel so that the warm colors were on one side and the cool colors on the other. Goethe considered warm colors to be those that cause sensations of warmth, activity, and stimulation. Warm colors include hues such as red, orange, and yellow. Warm colors are associated with energy, passion, and excitement. They tend to advance or appear closer to the viewer, creating a sense of dynamism and intensity.

Conversely, cool colors were defined by Goethe as those that impart a sense of coolness, calmness, and tranquility. These colors usually include shades of blue, green, and violet. Cool colors are associated with serenity, relaxation, and depth. They tend to recede or appear farther away from the viewer, conveying a sense of distance and peacefulness.

Artist Absorbing Goethe’s Color Theory

J.M.W Turner Was A Fan of Goethe

As a painter of the Romantic movement, Turner was very interested in depicting light and color. Turner met Goethe and was impressed by his research on color.

Turner did not agree with everything that Goethe posited, but he admired him enough to create two paintings that embody some of Goethe’s principles. The two paintings were exhibited together in 1843.

The first painting is called “Shade and Darkness”. This piece has a biblical meaning as it is based on the story of Noah’s Ark. You can barely see the ark in the middle. I have read accounts that there are bodies in the water, which seems morbid, but this makes sense. I can see some shapes, they are just hard to make out in the image below.

In this painting, Turner combines the biblical story of downfall with his romantic perspective on nature. Noah's presence is accompanied by a weary sea, symbolizing humanity's struggle to meet divine standards. The painting suggests that within despair, there's still a glimmer of hope.

This painting is often interpreted as representing the concept of darkness or shadow. In Goethe's color theory, darkness is not merely the absence of light but has its own presence and significance. Turner's use of dark tones and dramatic contrasts captures the intensity of shadow, exploring its emotional and symbolic dimensions. Through this work, Turner might be reflecting on Goethe's idea that darkness is not just a lack of light but a force with its own expressive power.

The second piece is called “Light and Colour – Morning after the Deluge” and it represents the day after the flood.

“Light and Color” portrays man as passive, unable to control nature, which is beautiful but can destroy and recreate life. It also illustrates Turner's belief in God's omnipotence, as He created the flood, allowed Noah to survive, and inspired Moses to write the Book of Genesis. The primary figures, Moses and a serpent, are represented hazily amid the fields of color and light.

The yellow in the painting refers to Goethe's Theory of Colours, which says yellow is the first color of light. The painting's shape is circular, like the human eye, not split in a straight line. Yellow usually feels positive, but Turner shows it as connected to changeable light. This links to the idea of the morning sun, which could signify a new birth as man was given the chance to start over after the flood.

My 3 Main Takeaways From Goethe

As I mentioned above, I am fascinated by Goethe’s thoughts on color coming out of the interplay between light and dark. I have watched several YouTube videos on Goethe that helped me to get excited about his thoughts.

I’ll link to this one, which is a bit slow and dated, but I found the graphics to help understand the light-dark interplay and how we see color as a result. The video recreates some of Goethe’s experiments in real-time so that you can see what he saw.

Takeaway #1- Use Complementary Colors for Light and Shade

Goethe understood that the human brain seeks to make sense of light and shadow. He said that shadows are truly gray due to the lack of light, but we see them as the complementary color of the light that is beaming on the object. So for example, if I am looking at a white cone bathed in green light, the shadow side will appear red.

As a result of this thinking, I am trying to push my color choices. I used to try and match a hue to a photograph exactly. But now I know I will create more artistic and interesting paintings if I choose complementary colors for my shadowed areas.

For example, I’m currently working on some orange piglets using pastels. I am deliberately choosing blue-toned colors to put in the shadow areas of the pigs. This is uncomfortable for me because when I look at the reference photo, the shadows are more of a brown/gray. I am also selecting bluish highlights to counter the orange hairs of the pigs. This is a technique that Seurat used in his paintings, so I am hoping this will work out. You’ll have to let me know what you think when I’m done.

Takeaway #2- Select Colors to Evoke Emotion or Include Symbology

Another takeaway I have learned is to consider color choices based on how I want the viewer to feel. I admit, as I did above, that previously I have been focused on mimicking photographs. But as I grow as an artist, I’d like to veer away from copying things and be able to find more of a unique voice. So in the future, I plan to select colors based on what feelings they may evoke or even use colors to imply symbology if I have a message I want to share.

I could start with baby steps with this one. For example, I could change the color of a background to play around with the feel of a piece. Or I could change one color of an object in a painting to make it symbolize something rather than have it mimic the true reference color. The options are endless.

Takeaway #3- Use Warm and Cool Colors Deliberately

I understand the concept of warm and cool colors, and I suppose I have for a while now. I am already deliberate about when I select to use them if something is in the sun (use warm colors) versus the shade (use cool colors).

Moving forward, I’ll have to think about how I use warm and cool colors to represent space in a landscape. Goethe says that warm colors advance and cool recede. To be honest, I haven’t thought about that so I will for my next landscape or involved background.

In addition to using warm and cool colors to denote distance, I would like to push my choices of them to advance my creativity. This is related to using colors for their psychological connotations, but I think selecting colors to tell a story better could be very helpful.

Conclusion

Although Goethe's approach to color was more philosophical than scientific, his interdisciplinary perspective bridged the gap between science and art. His work encouraged artists to engage with scientific concepts such as light and optics more intuitively and experientially, enriching their understanding of color theory. This insight encouraged artists to explore the expressive potential of color in their work, moving beyond mere representation to summon specific moods and meanings. Overall, Goethe's contributions to artists' knowledge of color laid the groundwork for a more nuanced and expressive approach to color in art, inspiring generations of artists to explore its aesthetic, emotional, and symbolic dimensions.

I hope you learned something on this journey with me. Let me know if it did or if Goethe is also inspiring you to make different choices in your art making in the future. I’d love to hear what you think.