John Gage's Seminal Study on Color History Published in French
The French translation of John Gage's 'Couleur et culture' has been released by Éditions Thames and Hudson, marking a significant milestone for the 1993 English original. Gage examines color through historical, technical, and scientific lenses, offering a comprehensive re-reading of art history. He challenges the traditional hierarchy privileging form over color, arguing that color has been neglected in aesthetic thought. Gage points to critics like Berenson and Ruskin, who overlooked artists' palettes. The book demonstrates that color is not a given but is shaped by symbolic, social, spiritual, and scientific systems, enabling original parallels across distant historical practices. Déborah Laks contributes to the publication.
Key facts
- Original English publication in 1993
- French translation by Éditions Thames and Hudson
- John Gage studies color historically, technically, and scientifically
- Gage critiques Berenson and Ruskin for neglecting color in art analysis
- Argues color has been subordinated to form in aesthetic hierarchy
- Color is presented as a construct of multiple systems
- Enables cross-historical comparisons
- Déborah Laks is associated with the publication
Entities
Artists
- John Gage
- Déborah Laks
Institutions
- Éditions Thames and Hudson
Sources
- artpress —