Abstract
AMONGST the merits which this book may possess (and we do not deny that they are considerable), elegance and accuracy of diction cannot be reckoned. This criticism is justified by the occurrence of countless phrases, such as these—“Non-luminous bodies are incompetent of emitting undulations that convey any coloured appearance to the mind”; “linear and curvilinear lines”; and “in the rose there is displayed in perfection all the various modifications in tint and shade to which this important colour (red) is susceptive.” And we cannot endorse in all particulars the exposition of the theories of colour given by Prof. Beaumont. For instance, he contrasts what he calls the “light theory of colours” with the “pigment theory,” and then, speaking of the latter, says: “Scientifically, it is no more a correct scheme than the light theory is applicable to the industries or to the mixing of paints.” But surely the theory of Young, Maxwell, and Helmholtz is as applicable to the results obtained by mixing pigments or coloured fibres, as it is to the results of mingling coloured lights. Yet, while the author writes, on p. 20, “many of the mixtures obtained by this system (that adopted by Chevreul and Brewster) are diametrically opposed to the laws of physics,” he proceeds to explain the chromatic phenomena of textiles by its aid. It is needless to urge how deeply Prof. Beaumont's acceptance of the red-yellow-blue triad of primaries vitiates his reasoning as to the effects of contrast, as to the question of the existence of tertiary hues, and as to the true complementaries.
Colour in Woven Design.
By Roberts Beaumont, Professor and Director of the Textile Department in the Yorkshire College. Pp. xxiv. and 440. (London: Whittaker and Co., 1890.)
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C., A. Our Book Shelf. Nature 43, 343 (1891). https://doi.org/10.1038/043343a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/043343a0