Color in Art

by Stefano Zuffi

Slightly off-mint

Genres: Art, Nonfiction

304 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2011

About the author

Stefano Zuffi (Milano, 24 maggio 1961) è uno storico dell'arte italiano.

Laureato alla Statale di Milano, è autore di numerosi volumi di divulgazione culturale, legati alla storia dell'arte soprattutto rinascimentale e barocca. Consulente editoriale per la casa editrice Electa, è stato responsabile di alcune collane di successo al grande pubblico, come gli Artbook e, dal 2002, I dizionari dell'arte.

Tra le sue pubblicazioni, una monografia su Dürer, Il Grande Atlante della Pittura (Electa) e il saggio Rinascimento (Mondadori): tradotte in più lingue, hanno raggiunto una tiratura di oltre un milione e mezzo di copie vendute in tutto il mondo.

Ha partecipato alla trasmissione Riguardiamoli condotta da Salvatore Maria Fares su RETEDUE della Radio Svizzera Italiana, curando una rubrica dedicata all' arte e alle mostre.

Ricopre l'incarico di responsabile culturale dell'Associazione Amici di Brera ed è presidente dell'Associazione Amici del Poldi Pezzoli.

È inoltre curatore della Pinacoteca Podesti di Ancona.

Reviews

[Joyita · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an interesting read for anyone interested in knowing more about the history of colors and how it evolved. Its pretty insightful and reading through it will give you a better understanding of some of the iconic art that you already love.

[Susan Gemperline · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was disappointed in this book. As an artist I expected better illustrations to go along with the copious amounts of information. The publisher would have done better to use a different paper. The grainy texture diminished the very colors the author chose to illustrate. I knew I was in trouble when the author listed the colors of the spectrum with orange between violet and indigo!

[Liz Licata · Rating 3 out of 5]

the book was a bit scattershot for my taste

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Numerous learnings for me here.

notes/excerpts:
9..intro of oil in place of water as a colours binder a great tech. revolution in painting..water/tempera paint has a less enamel-like texture, and allows less finesse, giving a fresco-like effect
78..yellow: spleen/melancholy...1503 Durer's spleen illness convinced him he was suffering from melancholia
four humors..blood, phlegm, yellow bile, black bile (melan chole' in Greek)..a balance in fluids gave physiological health, an excess of one signified illness
86..Vermeer's tiny patch of yellow wall..View of Delft..Proust writer Bergotte's fatal emotion in Remembrance
107..Rothko COLOUR FIELD painting..Pompeii frescoes / Fra Angelico
apply color in successive homogeneous layers
Rothko..large-format, unframed canvases..give impression of being submerged in the colored space...suicide 1970
112..Blue: Italian for sky blue: CELESTE is also adjective for divine beings and heavenly settings
182..typo: jewellery (should lose an "l")
184..Tut's 1340 grave discovered in 1922 by Carter
226..White: christ's shroud, fra angelica, transfiguration, san marco, florence
fresco technique uses lime as an ingredient, which doesnt allow the transparency & lustre of oil paint
258..Hammershei...lovely

[Roselyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent book for anyone interested in learning about history or colour though the lens of art.

The author provides intriguing insight into famous paintings and the lives of artists and there are loads of paintings to look at.

[Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Learned a lot from this book even though it covered a lot of ground, none of which was in depth. It was fun and easy to read with lots of good information.

[Rolayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

good reference material.