Hailing from notable art historian James Fox, The World According to Colour is a bright, multi-disciplinary examination of seven of the world's most prevalent colours and their impact throughout history. Whether that's the history of blue in Titian's landscapes, the power of purple as a fashion trend, or how white became associated with everything clean, Fox is a nimble storyteller, blending together science, arts, humanities, and even media to create a compelling text. An absolute must for colour buffs, I would welcome more in this vein from Fox immediately.

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience

I received an ARC of the book from the publisher, via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is a scholarly work that is simple to understand yet profound in its impact. In terms of concept, Fox’s use of colour – a ubiquitous subject he refers to as “inescapable” – to talk about art while relating it to world history is remarkable. Moreover, Fox is also an excellent writer. In the preface, he entices readers by positing colour as something that ‘resists most attempts to describe’ while proclaiming his daring attempt to take on this difficult task. His use of an Orhan Pamuk quote in the introduction’s epigraph is also a welcome treat for literary buffs who may be less interested in non-fiction. Most important though, is the vantage point Fox takes. Further to the Pamuk quote, his use of a Persian fable to set the stage for his work makes clear his focus on inclusivity, a notion that the book lives up to. True enough, through colour Fox canvases a wide array of topics, from the darkness of fear, to the myth of whiteness underscoring racist attitudes and a green, ecological future too. By constantly juxtaposing attitudes and perspectives towards colour, Fox creates a sense of belonging for all. In demonstrating the interconnectedness of our world, he has made this book a must-read.

A great book in the vein of Cassia St Clair's Secret Lives Of Colour — although I must say it was more in depth and much richer in historical details.

Imagine my delight on reading the opening chapter to World According to Colour, to discover the Haft Paykar, a famous medieval romantic poem -considered one of the great classics of Persian literature;

‘One day, a young Persian prince was wandering through his palace when something stopped him in his tracks. His eyes soon settled on a series of paintings, depicting seven beautiful princesses from seven different realms.’

Bahram Gur in the Room of the Seven Portraits (Collection Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, Lisbon)
Haft Paykar: Bahram Gur in the Room of the Seven Portraits (Collection Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, Lisbon)
In the Haft Paykar (Seven Portraits), the young prince Bahram Gur, seeks out the seven princesses from the seven climes ruled by seven planets (classical planetary system of Zoroastrian-Islamic world); India, Byzantium, Russia, Slavonia, North Africa, China and Persia. Upon marrying all seven and bringing them back to Persia, his architect advises him, that to assure good fortune, each princess should be housed in a pavilion with a coloured dome associated with each clime, planet and weekday.

World According to Colour. A Cultural History by James Fox
As in the poem, James Fox in his new book, World According to Colour, invites the reader on a journey through humanity’s relationship with colour. The colours become protagonists, like complex characters in a seven-part play. The author’s aim is that the reader understand the meanings associated with colour over time.

Unlike the colours that feature in the Haft Paykar, his book goes back into time to ancient Greece and follows the modern equivalents of Aristotle’s seven primaries: black, red, yellow, blue, white, purple and green in seven chapters devoted to these colours.

James Fox is an art historian and therefore may have developed a predilection for color through his exposure to visual art – call it an occupational hazard. Nevertheless, the reader gains valuable insight into his 10 year research and passion for colour.

Different Shades of Black
In the chapter on black, we learn that ‘black’ was the most frequently used term in Shakespeare’s writings and that he seemed to harbor a certain fondness of adjectives like ‘black as ink’. ‘coal-black, ‘raven black’. Perhaps we can assume that black was the Bard’s favourite colour.

Shifting East, he sheds light on East Asian perspectives to the colour black, as he discusses the revered Japanese novelist Tanizaki’s 1933 essay, In Praise of Shadows, in which he argued that darkness was integral to eastern aesthetics as opposed to the Western obsession with bright light and shiny surfaces. Dr Fox further illuminates the reader on the significance of black in Chinese and Japanese ink painting;

‘At first the Chinese used this rich black fluid for writing, calligraphy and painting, but by the T’ang dynasty they were also using it to paint. Chinese painters began by pairing it with other colours but many later renounced everything except black. Not that they considered it to be a single colour; they recognised at least five different blacks.’

We learn about Sesshū Tōyō (雪舟 等楊), a 15th century Japanese master of ink and wash painting, who drew influences from the Chinese landscape painting and adapted these to his own practice. In his painting, ‘splashed ink landscape’,(溌墨) hatsuboku, the artist avoids bold outlines and expresses himself with ink washes in lighter and darker tones.

Red, Yellow, Blue, White and the Colour Purple
We learn about the dominance of red in China from time immemorial to the red flag of the Chinese Communist Party and discover that Turner was particularly partial to chrome yellow, a pigment developed in his lifetime after its main ingredient was discovered in a Siberian gold mine. It went on to become the most successful pigment and was used in Gaughin’s Yellow Christ and Van Gogh’s Sunflowers.

In the chapter on blue we learn of Yves Klein’s obsession with the sky and of his creation of International Yves Klein Blue, whilst in the chapter on white, the author bravely tackles the subject of ‘race’. We are presented with an image of a Pear’s Soap advert from the late 1890s that reads;

‘The first step towards lightening the White Man’s Burden is through teaching the virtues of cleanliness. Pear’s Soap is a potent factor in brightening the dark corners of the earth as civilization advances, while among the cultured of all nations it holds the highest place- it is the ideal toilet soap.’

To which he writes:

‘We might dismiss Pear’s cheerful racism and heavy-handed marketing as the product of an earlier, more prejudiced age, But prejudices don’t disappear quickly, and nor do cultural tropes.’

I praise the author for tackling the subject of ‘race’ in the chapter on the colour white. Such discussions should be part of the narrative on modern retelling of visual art.

In Purple, we learn about the modern discovery of the pigment Prussian blue and prior to that Tyrian Purple, a pigment made from the gland of a small shellfish – so valuable in ancient and medieval times it was exclusively for the rich and powerful.

As Diverse are Their Hues
‘The Qur’an as revealed to the Prophet Muhammed in the seventh century, is so filled with colour that it makes the Bible seem monochrome by comparison’

The last chapter ends in green – a color that is associated with contemporary environmental concerns. The Green party, ‘renewable green energy’ these are buzzwords of our times that reflect humanity’s urgency to save the planet and have become a mindset.

We learn a great deal about the science of colour, throughout the book, in particular in the final chaper, there are a great deal of facts about chlorophyll – taking cue from Howard Hodgkin’s painting, Leaf (2007–9). This painting consists of a single brushstroke of emerald, green that took seconds to execute yet two years of mental preparation. ‘Colour is colour,’ Hodgkin once said. ‘You can’t control it’.

For the rest of the last chapter, we discover that the colour green has great significance in the Islamic world as the colour green is closely identified with the Prophet. He writes;

‘From the Hadith, which compiled records of Muhammed’s words and deeds roughly a century after his death, we know he regularly wore green garments and was fond of verdant vegetation. The souls of martyrs are described as green birds suspended from the trees of paradise, and the devout likened to vegetation.’

I enjoyed and valued the author’s rich commentary on visual art from all around the world. I found his writing style bold and refreshing, considering art historians often write for a high-brow audience. He writes, in a fast-paced entertaining way, galloping from one idea to another, yet connecting colour through trajectories in art, anthropology, psychology and science.

World According to Colour will appeal to art historians, artists, colourists and especially those who are curious about visual art and design, who visit museums and galleries and wish to deepen their knowledge. Five Stars.

A full and thought-provoking guide to the connotations of colour and our relationship to colour throughout history. The writing was accessible for people who don't know lots about art and yet comprehensive enough so that you learn lots of things along the way.

A meticulously-researched exploration of the kinds of cultural associations that have grown up around particular colours. Art historian James Fox takes seven colours and constructs a series of curious, revealing histories: the “mauve mania” that swept Victorian England influencing art and literature; the dye wars between manufacturers desperate to cash in on their discoveries; how the vivid yellows of a Turner painting attracted a health warning; how white became linked to ideas about purity and fuelled dangerous prejudices around notions of race and identity. Although I thought Fox’s conclusions about what the myriad meanings attached to colours say about humanity were a little too sweeping, his approach often reminded me of Neil MacGregor’s absorbing A History of the World in 100 Objects, Fox’s writing’s similarly accessible and lucid. He’s adept at unearthing and presenting an array of fascinating information. There are weaker sections that stray into exhaustive, laundry-list territory, transparency’s often achieved at the expense of nuance, and the sheer wealth of detail can be overwhelming but I think there’s more than enough compelling, stimulating material here to compensate for any shortcomings.

This is a fascinating book about colour. So far so standard. But this is also about psychology, sociology, history, philosophy, chemistry, alchemy, politics, art … you name it, James Fox has got it covered. The facts leap off the page not in a lecturing, boring way but in an engaging, entertaining way and entertained we definitely are. This is the sort of book you highlight or copy passages out of for future reference.

Starting from black and covering seven colours, the author takes us through how colours got their stories and why white is “good” and black is “bad” and the repercussions of that even today. The absence of colour is a colour in itself. We meet fascinating characters - the man who made a fortune because he stumbled upon purple while experimenting with coal tar! And another purple method that smelled of “rotting flesh, asafoetida, and garlic breath” where 10,000 mollusks were needed to make a gram of dye.

How a book about colour can pack so much in is amazing and I’m getting a full colour hardback version for my Christmas as the ebook - brilliant as it is - misses something. This is recommended as a gift for the person in your life who is hard to buy for - young or old and every artist, designer, or fashionista. A totally beguiling book.

I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley in return for an honest review

This is an amazing wide ranging book. I stand in awe of how much James Fox has packed in to this one book. and how well he has structured it. As he says at the end of the book

"The history of colour, therefore, is also the history of humanity "

Each section takes a different colour so it's possible to dip in by reading about your favourite, because people do have strong opinions on colour . However I would recommend reading it in order as he starts, like many creation myths, with black , exploring if it is an absence of colour or a colour in itself. He also explores in this chapter cultural issues and attitudes to race.

There is so much in each section from the science behind how we perceive color in general or a particular one, language ( some cultures have no word for blue), history in the discovery and transportation of certain colours (e.g Ultramarine) . He also explores how different cultures over time have used colour from cave paintings , to Islamic tiles to modern Art "installations". .In the Green chapter which is near the end he explores how the colour is now linked to environmental issues and its political aspects.

I would recommend checking out if his BBC4 series on 3 colours is still available to watch.

I shall be buying a "hard copy" (as my proof copy had no illustrations), so that I can go back to his detailed and illuminating descriptions of certain key works of art.

In 2014 I watched A Very British Renaissance on BBC Two. James Fox’s talent as a researcher and storyteller was captivating and this documentary series inspired me to pursue academia. After watching this series, I turned to Fox’s catalogue and watched a few of his previous documentaries. To this day, Fox’s A History of Art in Three Colours is one of my favourite documentary series and the episode on the colour blue will always stay in my mind.
I knew that the series would eventually become a book and I have been eagerly anticipating its release for years. The World According to Colour does not disappoint. Exploring the seven primary colours, the book dives into each colour and picks it apart. From the science of the colour itself, the historical significance, the political associations and more, Fox dissects each colour in immense detail to uncover its history.
The text is incredibly ambitious and certainly successful in its endeavour. Fox traces a long period of art history, from the Bronze Age to present day. The World According to Colour explores many cultures and explores how the meaning of colour can change in different societies.
The most valuable aspect of this book is its accessibility. A reason I am a fan of Fox’s work is because he is able to make academic writing accessible. This book tackles some complex concepts and covers a lot of topics yet they are digestible and I was able to remember and understand them after reading. I hope this text will encourage others to explore the world of art.
After reading this book, I see the world differently. As the seasons change, I pay closer attention to the leaves slowly changing from green to orange to brown. I notice the blueness of the sky. I notice the different shades of green on my blouse. This book captures the beauty in colour and has allowed me to reflect on my relationship with different colours. I cannot recommend this book enough and I think it is a book everyone can gain something from.
Thank you Netgalley for sending me a review copy.

This book was wild, so many times I had to put it down and make a note of a line or a paragraph because so much of it blew my mind.

Colour is just colour right? Well no, not according to this book, I learned so much within even the first few chapters that I was blown away by.

Hearing about the science of colour but also about each individual colour and not only it’s makeup but it’s cultural history was just so fascinating to me.

I love books like this, about art and colour and how we see things but this one felt different in the sense that it had real heart to it. A lot of these books can be quite heavy and cold in their telling of the facts but this had just that little bit something different. The author had such a beautiful way with his words and the way he decided to tell the story of these unique, mysterious and sometimes mystical light waves of colour was stunning!

If you are at all interested in art or just how wonderfully wild the world is that we get to experience something as special as colour in our lives then you will love this book.

The book is out today in print and ebook✨

P.s What’s your favourite colour? Let me know…Mines is pink and Aquamarine!

Advanced copy from Netgalley✨

A fascinating look at color through the eyes of art history.The author shows us how colour influences our world our history.This is a short book that engaged and involved my mind.Looking forward to reading more by this talented author.Will be recommending.#netgalley#penguinuk

Unless we go to a gallery and really study the works on offer, we accept that colour surrounds us and man can easily reproduce all the hues we have today.

The World According to Colour: A Cultural History describes in logical steps how seven colours have influenced mankind, started journeys to attain them, have impacted on society and even superstitions that have resulted from our obsession with understanding colour.

James Fox has written this fascinating account which should be on every designers' and artists' bookshelf, and read by anyone with an interest with the colourful world around them.

Really enjoyable book. I had read a few books about colours and their history by Michel Pastoureau, but this one by James Fox offers a more diverse overview - where Pastoureau focuses on France/Europe and on medieval times especially, it was refreshing to read more about the science behind colours and how they became more accessible, and their history across times and countries. I really enjoyed reading about various countries' legends and use of colours.. It was pleasantly written and easy to follow - really liked it.

An enlightening mix of archaeology, history, art, science, psychology and culture

James takes the basic colours we see around us and looks at them from various angles to provide a fascinating mix of information that I thoroughly enjoyed. Through the lenses of archaeology and history we learn about how colour has been used through time, the lengths our ancestors went to to produce some of them, the significance of colour in society and art, and the prejudices and superstitions that have resulted.

Looking at the same colours from the perspectives of nature, science and psychology gives us further insights to how important colour can be to life. From the green chlorophyll of plants to the red haemoglobin of our literal life blood, how nature uses colour to attract mates and pollinators, warn of danger and camouflage, the science of how we see colour and how we can use it to reflect and affect our moods and wellbeing.

While James focuses on the colours we can see the book could be expanded to cover the wavelengths beyond our sight that other creatures can perceive - infra-red and ultraviolet. Finally, while difficult to do, a closing summary bringing it all together would have rounded off the book nicely.

I really enjoyed this book. The subject is so vast and rich and I finished it curious to learn more in so many ways.

'The World According to Colour' is a special book. Many non-fiction books cover interesting stories but this one manages to intertwine unique linguistic, historical, art stories in a new and interesting way. Taking a colour as a theme, James Fox writes about the ways we look at these colours and what they meant in different circumstances. I particularly enjoyed reading it because I have learned so much about fields I am already interested in and in fields I have never thought to analyse.

This book is for the people who want to learn how the saint of translation added prejudicial undertones in ambiguous parts of the Bible and probably influenced the way one looks at race, in what sequence words for colours enter the vocabulary or how white supremacy is connected to the notion of 'the colour white.

'The World According to Colour' is quite a slow read but a very interesting one. In my opinion, it is slow because of the density and the amount of the intellectual stories, not because of the writing style.

The World According to Colour is like a book version of a BBC4 documentary - absorbing, interesting and a bit high-brow. The book is mostly from an Art History point of view so a Google image search on hand to see the paintings described was helpful, however there was also some biology, chemistry and physics to put the subject in scientific context.

An enjoyable read for art historians and other people who share James Fox’s fascination with colour.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing a review copy in exchange for honest feedback.

James Fox writes beautifully. In The World According to Colour, he’s engaging even when dealing with technicalities such as explaining the wavelengths of light and describing haemoglobin’s role in the blood. He explains scientific terms and concepts clearly but not in an overly simple way, trusting the reader’s ability to keep up.
While some of the stories and artists were familiar to me, I was introduced to many new ones; I want to explore the work of Howard Hodgkin and perhaps even the avant-garde Ana Mendieta.
In less skilled hands this might have felt padded, but Fox weaves history and science into the story along with art and anthropology so that it is full of detail and interest. His description of how the Japanese master Sesshū created an inkwash landscape made me long to see the work, and I’m aching to get to the British Museum to see the painstaking care that goes into Chinese lacquerware.
I look forward to reading this book in hard copy with the plates but even in digital proof form the language shines, a love letter not just to colour but to the world itself.

An amazing journey through colour! Comprehensive, engaging and written with a clear language, well informed and suitable for the wider public.

A really impressive excursus spanning centuries, continents, disciplines and societies exploring the significance, symbolism and use of individual colours (one per chapter) in different cultures, societies, religions, aesthetic theories, movements and individual artists and writers – from prehistory to the present days. Colours are also viewed from a sociomaterial perspective (how pigments and colours were produced by whom and the implications), which includes relevant historical and scientific discussions. I appreciated the ability to single out what is worth discussing for each colour, phenomena and symbols that still speak to us and still permeate out world.

Highly recommended, this is the kind of read that enriches you as everything is made so relevant, and a lot more fun than it may seem!

Have you ever wondered how the meaning of colours came about? How come we associate black with death or white with pureness? And how about blue and red and purple and yellow? James Fox tries to answer those exact questions. And in doing so, he takes us on a fascinating journey around the world but also in time, touching on so many subjects from history to literature to science and art.

My favourite chapters were those full of colour: red, yellow, blue, purple, green. Fascinating and full of facts, I learn so much and even ended up chatting about them with my family. Black and white were less on my liking due mostly to the association with race and prejudice which I felt were slightly pushed (I cannot say I was convinced by the logic of certain association. Also the fact that the author says Europe(or white) but in fact he refers to Britain or Western Europe - a generalisation that really grates on my nerves!!!), I guess in a bid to tick the right boxes.

My only regret upon finishing this book was that it was so brief. I wanted to read more, so much more. I hope it is going to be expanded at some point in the future, I would not hesitate to pick it up again if that happens!