Goethe's Theory of Colours

“The highest goal that man can achieve is amazement.””

— Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“Blue: as yellow is always accompanied with light, so it may be said that blue still brings a principle of darkness with it. This color has a peculiar and almost indescribable effect on the eye. As a hue it is powerful - but it is on the negative side, and in its highest purity is, as it were, a stimulating negation. Its appearance, then, is a kind of contradiction between excitement and repose.””

— Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“Blue gives us an impression of cold, and thus, again, reminds us of shade. We have before spoken of its affinity with black.””

— Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“Light and darkness, brightness and obscurity, or if a more general expression is preferred, light and its absence, are necessary to the production of color… Color itself is a degree of darkness.””

— Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“Tot așa cum galbenul este intotdeauna asociat cu lumina, se poate spune și că albastrul aduce cu el și un principiu al întunericului. Această culoare are un efect special și aproape indescriptibil asupra ochiului. Pe scara culorilor este una puternică, însă de partea negativă, și la maximum de puritate este, cum s-ar zice, o negație stimulatoare. Aspectul său este deci un fel de contradicție între excitație și calm.””

— Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“BlauEs ist die Farbe des Dunklen. Es ist als Farbe eine Energie und in der höchsten Reinheit ein reizendes Nichts. Es scheint zurückzuweichen (die fernen Berge sieht man blau) und zieht einen aber nach. Es ist angenehm anzusehen, es gibt ein Gefühl von Kälte und erinnert an einen Schatten. Blaue Zimmer wirken zwar weit, aber kalt und leer. Blaues Licht stimmt traurig. Wird blau von der Plusseite berührt ist dies angenehm.””

— Johann Wolfgang von Goethe