INFORMATION
Author(s): Kassia St. Clair
Print length: 320 pages
Dimensions: 23.4 x 24.8 cm
Format: Hardcover
Price: 699.000 VND
Weight: 900 g
Publisher: Hachette
Publication year: 2017
INTRODUCTION
"The Secret Lives of Colour" by Kassia St. Clair is a fascinating exploration of 75 different shades, dyes, and hues, unraveling the stories behind the colours we often take for granted. The book traverses epochs and continents—delving into pigments extracted from plants, minerals, insects, and even soils—and how they influenced art, fashion, war, religion, and culture.
For instance, St. Clair reveals how “chrome yellow” played a central role in Van Gogh’s sunflowers, how “wasp yellow” could be a signal in nature, how “blue” pigments were once more precious than gold, and how khaki became a military staple. The stories interweave science and myth, revealing surprising truths: from the role of certain dyes in spreading disease, to political and social power struggles tied to colour bans and fashion.
Beautifully illustrated and richly researched, the book doesn’t just catalog colours—it shows how they have shaped human experience. It’s a visual and intellectual journey into why certain colours feel the way they do, why they have symbolic power, and why we still use them the ways we do. "The Secret Lives of Colour" appeals to anyone interested in art, history, culture, design, or simply those curious about the hidden layers behind the colours that surround us.
