Renaissance Colour Symbolism

"Renaissance Colour Symbolism brings together texts and translations of the four earliest printed books on the meaning of colours: Le Blason de toutes armes et éscutz [The Blazon of All Arms and Escutcheons] (1495) by Jean Courtois, the Sicily Herald; Le Blason des couleurs en armes, livrées et devises [The Blazon of Colours in Arms, Liveries and Devices] (1527) by Gilles Corrozet; Libellus de coloribus [Booklet on Colours] (1528) by Antonio Telesio (Thylesius); and Del significato de' colori [On the Signification of Colours] (1535) by Fulvio Pellegrino Morato. Parts of three other early books are included, from The Accedens of Armory (1562) by Gerard Legh; Trattato dell'arte della pittura, scoltura, et archittetura [Treatise on the Arts of Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture] (1584) by Giovanni Paolo Lomazzo; and A Tracte Containing the Artes of Curious Paintinge, Carvinge and Buildinge (1598) by Richard Haydocke"--Provided by publisher.

Recent restoration campaigns, particularly to the Sistine Chapel, have focused attention on the importance of colour in our experience of paintings, but until recently it has been neglected by art historians. The author believes that the work of art can only be fully appreciated when it is regarded as the product of both the artist's hand and mind. This study utilizes the traditional sources, such as contemporary theoretical writings and iconographical analysis, but in addition draws on the scientific findings of the conservation laboratories. This is a new body of data assembled in large part since World War II, which art historians are only beginning to exploit to fill out the history of technique. Rather than writing merely a history of technique, however, the author has integrated this material with traditional approaches to cultural history. She undertakes to examine twenty major paintings of the period from Giotto to Tintoretto to elucidate how colour and technique contribute to their meaning. She gives us then, the first modern consideration of Renaissance paintings both as physical objects and as monuments of cultural history.

'Telesio and Morato on the Meaning of Colours' brings together the original texts with original English translations of two closely related primary sources on Renaissance colour symbolism. The first is the 'Libellus de coloribus' (Booklet on colours), the most extensive lexicon of colour terminology of its time, published in Venice in 1528 by Antonio Telesio (1482-1534), who latinised his name as Antonius Thylesius. The second is 'Del significato de' colori' (On the signification of colours), the most extensive digest of current and classical colour meanings of its time, published in Venice in 1535 by Fulvio Pellegrino Morato (c. 1483-1548). They were the third and fourth books on colour to be printed in Europe. Roy Osborne is an artist, educator and historian, and author of books on colour. He was awarded the Turner Medal of the Colour Group (Great Britain) in 2003, and the Colour in Art, Design and Environment Medal of the International Colour Association in 2019.

'Sicily Herald and the Blazon of Colours' brings together the original texts with original English translations of two closely related primary sources on Renaissance colour symbolism. 'Le Blason de toutes armes et scutz' (The blazon of all arms and shields) was completed about 1420 by Jean Courtois (c. 1375-1436), the Sicily Herald, and printed in Paris in 1495. The second, 'Le Blason des couleurs en armes, livr es, et devises' (The blazon of colours in arms, liveries and devices), by Gilles Corrozet (1510-68), was published in Paris in 1527 by Pierre Le Brodeur. They were first two books on colour to be printed in Europe, and are now available in English for the first time in five centuries. Roy Osborne is an artist, educator and historian, and author of books on colour. He was awarded the Turner Medal of the Colour Group (Great Britain) in 2003, and the Colour in Art, Design and Environment Medal of the International Colour Association in 2019.

RENAISSANCE COLOUR SYMBOLISM brings together selected primary sources with original annotated English translations of 'Le Blason de toutes armes et éscutz' (1495) by the Sicily Herald (Jean Courtois), 'Le Blason des couleurs en armes, livrées et devises' (1527) by Gilles Corrozet, 'Libellus de coloribus' (1528) by Antonio Telesio, 'Del significato de' colori' (1535) by Fulvio Pellegrino Morato, and sections of 'The Accedence of Armorie' (1562/1612) by Gerard Leigh, and 'Trattato dell'arte della pittura, scoltura, et archittetura' (1584) by Giovanni Paolo Lomazzo. The original texts accompany the translations.

An encyclopaedic work on color in Western art and culture from the Middle Ages to Post-Modernism.

Recent restoration campaigns, particularly to the Sistine Chapel, have focused attention on the importance of colour in our experience of paintings, but until recently it has been neglected by art historians. The author believes that the work of art can only be fully appreciated when it is regarded as the product of both the artist's hand and mind. This study utilizes the traditional sources, such as contemporary theoretical writings and iconographical analysis, but in addition draws on the scientific findings of the conservation laboratories. This is a new body of data assembled in large part since World War II, which art historians are only beginning to exploit to fill out the history of technique. Rather than writing merely a history of technique, however, the author has integrated this material with traditional approaches to cultural history. She undertakes to examine twenty major paintings of the period from Giotto to Tintoretto to elucidate how colour and technique contribute to their meaning. She gives us then, the first modern consideration of Renaissance paintings both as physical objects and as monuments of cultural history.

Updated to 2020, BOOKS ON COLOUR 1495-2015 offers quick and easy reference to 2,500 authors and editors and over 3,000 titles published by them. Following a concise historical survey of colour literature, authors are listed in an A-Z directory, together with titles, dates and places of publication, and translations for non-English titles. Biographical references are included where known. Chronological indexes of authors precede the bibliographical listing and alphabetical indexes of authors follow it. Publications are categorised under 27 general headings: Architecture, Chemistry, Classification, Colorants, Computing & Television, Decoration, Design, Dress & Cosmetics, Dyeing, Flora & Fauna, Food, Glass, History, Lighting, Metrology, Music, Optics, Painting, Perception, Philosophy, Photography & Cinema, Printing, Psychology, Symbolism, Terminology, Therapy, and Vision.