Chapter XX: Section IV

_Assortments of Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Violet
with White, Black, and Grey._

174. It will not be useless to the object of this work to introduce some observations relative to the degree of beauty of certain arrangements of the primitive colours with black, white, and grey. But I cannot too strongly insist upon the fact, that they are not given as a rigorous deduction from scientific rules, for they are only the expression of my particular taste; yet I hope that many classes of artists, especially dressmakers, decorators of all kinds, designers of patterns for woven fabrics, paper-hangings, &c., will find advantage in consulting them.

175. The _ground_, as well as the interval between the colours, having influence upon their effect, all my observations were made with white, black, grey, and coloured circles, ⁴/₁₀ of an inch in diameter, separated by intervals of ⁴/₁₀ of an inch; thirteen circles arranged in a straight line forming a series.

176. The series designed to show the effect of white were on a ground of normal grey; those to show the effect of black and of grey were upon a white ground, slightly tinged with grey. It is necessary to remark that the _coloured_ circles placed apart, were upon black grounds, which must have exercised some influence.

177. The colours which have been under my notice are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet. Their differences in regard to brilliancy are so great as to admit of their being divided into two groups, one comprising red, orange, yellow, and bright green, the other blue and violet, which, with the same depth of tone, have not the brilliancy of the former. I shall call the first group _luminous colours_, and the second _sombre colours_. But the deep and broken tones of the _luminous scales_ may in many cases be assimilated to the sombre group, as the light tones of blue and violet may sometimes be employed as _luminous_ colours.

ARTICLE I.

_Colours with White._

Plate 8.

A. _Binary Assortments._

178. All the primary colours gain by their juxtaposition with white, but the binary arrangements which result from them are not equally agreeable; and it is to be remarked that the depth of tone of a colour has a great influence upon the effect of its assortment with white.

The binary assortments in the order of their greatest beauty, are as follows:—_light blue_ and white, _rose_ and white, _deep yellow_ and white, _bright green_ and white, _violet_ and white, _orange_ and white.

Dark blue and dark red produce, with white, too strong a contrast of tone to allow of their assortment being as agreeable as that of their light tones. On the contrary, yellow being a light colour, we must take the normal or deepest tone of yellow to produce its most beautiful effect. Dark green and violet contrast too much in tone with white for their combination to be as agreeable as those which are made with the light tones of these colours. The objection which can be made to the combination of orange and white is that of too much brilliancy; yet I should not be surprised to find that many persons preferred it to that of violet and white.

B. _Tertiary Assortments of Colours complementary to each other with White._

179. It is to me impossible to establish an order of beauty among binary combinations of primary complementary colours. I shall therefore only describe the effect of white interposed between the binary complementary assortments, or between each of the complementary colours.

180. 1. _Red and Green_ are of all complementary colours the most equal in depth; for red, as regards its brilliancy, is midway between yellow and blue; and in green these two extremes are united. 2. The arrangement, white, red, green, white, &c., is not decidedly superior to the preceding, at least when the colours are not deep. 3. The arrangement white, red, white, green, white, &c., seems to me inferior to the preceding.

181. 1. _Blue and Orange_ are more opposed to each other than red and green, because the least brilliant colour blue, is separated, while the most brilliant are combined in orange. 2. The arrangement, _white, orange, blue, white_, &c., is agreeable. 3. The arrangement, _white, orange, white, blue, white_ &c., is also agreeable.

182. 1. _Yellow and Violet_ form an arrangement which, as regards depth of tone, is most distinct, since the least intense or lightest colour, the yellow, is separated from the others. Because of this great contrast of tone, the deep, but pure, greenish-yellow combines better with light violet, than light yellow and deep violet. 2. The arrangement, _white, yellow, violet, white_, &c., appears to me inferior to the preceding arrangement (1). 3. The arrangement, _white, yellow, white, violet, white_, &c., seems to me inferior to 2.

C. _Ternary Assortments of Colours not complementary with White._

183. 1. Red and orange do not accord well. 2. The arrangement, _white, red, orange, white_, &c., is scarcely preferable. 3. The arrangement, _white, red, white, orange, white_, &c., is not so bad as the preceding, because white being favourable to all the colours, its interposition between the colours which injure each other, can only produce an advantageous effect.

184. _Red and Yellow_ accord pretty well, especially if the red is purple-red rather than scarlet, and the yellow rather greenish than orange. 2, The arrangement, white, red, yellow, white, is preferable to the preceding. 3. The arrangement _white, red, white, yellow, white_, is still better.

185. 1. _Red and Blue_ accord passably, especially if the red incline rather to scarlet than to crimson. Deep tones are preferable to light ones. 2. The arrangement _white, red, blue, white_, &c., is preferable to 1. 3. The arrangement _white, red, white, blue, white_, is preferable to the second.

186. 1. _Red and Violet_ do not accord well, yet they are found in some natural productions, as the sweet pea. 2. The arrangement _white, red, violet, white_, is not so bad as the preceding. 3. The arrangement _white, red, white, violet, white_, is preferable.

187. 1. _Orange and Yellow_ accord incomparably better than red and orange. 2. The arrangement _white, orange, yellow, white_, is agreeable. 3. The arrangement _white, orange, white, yellow, white_, is not so good as 2, and perhaps 1, because there is too much white.

188. 1. _Orange and Green_ do not accord well. 2. The arrangement _white, orange, green, white_, is preferable to 1. 3. The arrangement _white, orange, white, green, white_, is perhaps preferable to 2.

189. 1. _Orange and Violet_ accord passably, yet not so well as orange and green; the contrast, in the latter case, is greater than in the arrangement orange and violet. 2. The arrangement _white, orange, violet, white_, &c., is preferable to the preceding. 3. The arrangement _white, orange, white, violet, white_, &c., is preferable to 2.

190. 1. _Yellow and Green_ form an agreeable combination. 2. The arrangement _white, yellow, green, white_, &c., is still more agreeable. 3. The arrangement _white, yellow, white, green, white_, &c., is inferior to the preceding, and perhaps to the first. The inferiority of 3 seems to me to be caused by too much light for the _green_.

191. 1. _Yellow and Blue._ The arrangement of _yellow_ and _blue_ is more agreeable than that of _yellow_ and _green_, but it is less lively. 2. The arrangement _white, yellow, blue, white_, &c., is perhaps preferable to the preceding. 3. The arrangement _white, yellow, white, blue_, &c., is perhaps inferior to the preceding.

192. 1. _Green and Blue_ produce an indifferent effect, but better when the colours are deep. 2. The arrangement _white, green, blue, white_, &c., is preferable. 3. The arrangement _white, green, white, blue, white_, &c., has a still better effect, because the light is more equally distributed.

193. 1. _Green and Violet_, especially when light, form a combination preferable to the preceding, _green_ and _blue_. 2. The arrangement _white, green, violet, white_, &c., is not decidedly superior to the preceding. 3. The arrangement, _white, green, white, violet, white_, &c., is not decidedly superior to it.

194. 1. _Blue and Violet_ accord badly. 2. The arrangement, _white, blue, violet, white_, &c. is scarcely preferable to the preceding (1). 3. The arrangement _white, blue, white, violet, white_, &c., is not so bad as the preceding (2).

ARTICLE II.

_Colours and Black._

Plate 9. (Frontispiece.)

195. I do not know whether the use of black for mourning, prevents the use of it, in numberless cases, where it would produce excellent effects; it may be combined most advantageously, not only with sombre colours to produce the harmony of analogy, but also with light and brilliant colours to produce the harmony of contrast.

196. Chinese artists appear to have made excellent use of it, for I have often seen furniture, painting, ornaments, &c., where it has been most judiciously employed. I recommend those artists for whom this paragraph is particularly designed, to attend to the following observations, not doubting that many will be profitable to them.

A. _Binary Combinations._

197. No combination of primary colours with black is disagreeable, but there exists among these a generic difference of harmony, which is not shown, at least to nearly the same degree, in the binary combinations of white with the same colours. In fact the brilliancy of white is so predominant, that whatever may be the difference of lightness or brilliancy observed between the various associated colours, there will always be the harmony of contrast, according to what has been said (44-52) of the influence of white in raising the tone and augmenting the intensity of the colour adjacent to it.

198. If the binary combinations of black be examined in this point of view, it will be seen that the deep tones of all the scales, and even of the blue and violet scales (which are not, properly speaking, deep), form with it harmonies of analogy and not of contrast. So likewise do the unbroken tones of the _red, orange, yellow-green_ scales, and the very light tones of the violet and blue scale. We may add, according to what has been said (55), that the combinations of _black_ with sombre colours, such as _blue_ and _violet_, whose complementaries, orange and _greenish-yellow_, are luminous, may diminish the contrast of tone if the colours be juxtaposed with _black_ or one not far from it, and in this case the _black_ loses much of its vigour.

199. _Blue_ and _Black, Violet_ and _Black_, make combinations which may be employed successfully when only dark colours are required. The first is superior to the second.

200. Light combinations which exhibit the harmonies of contrast, appear to me in the order of beauty thus:—

_Red_ or _Rose_ and _Black_, _Orange_ and _Black, Yellow_ and _Black_, lastly, _Bright Green_ and _Black_. As to yellow, I repeat that it must be brilliant and intense, inasmuch as black tends to impoverish its tone.

B.—_Ternary Combinations of Colours mutually Complementary with Black._

201. 1. _Red, Green_, &c. 2. _Black, Red, Green, Black_, &c. This arrangement being quite different from the former, it is difficult to decide respecting their comparative beauty. 3. _Black, Red, Black, Green, Black_, &c., appear to me inferior to the preceding, because there is too much black.

202. 1. _Blue, Orange_, &c. 2. _Black, Blue, Orange, Black_. I prefer the first to the second; the proportion of dark colour being too strong relatively to the _orange_. 3. _Black, Blue, Black, Orange, Black_, &c. This pleases me less than the first.

The effect of _black_ with _blue_ and _orange_ is inferior to that of _white_.

203. 1. _Yellow, Violet_, &c. 2. _Black, Yellow, Violet_, &c. 3. _Black, Yellow, Black, Violet, Black_, &c. The second is superior to the third, because the proportion of sombre colours with the _yellow_ is too strong in the latter. The first appears to me superior to the second.

C.—_Ternary Combinations of Colours not Complementary with Black._

204. 1. _Red, Orange_, &c. 2. _Black, Red, Orange, Black_, &c. 3. _Black, Red, Black, Orange, Black_, &c. As orange and red injure each other, there is an advantage in separating them by black. The third arrangement is preferable to the second; and both are preferable to those in which _black_ is replaced by _white_.

205. 1. _Red, Yellow_, &c. 2. _Black, Red, Yellow, Black_. 3. _Black, Red, Black, Yellow, Black_, &c. The two last arrangements appear to me superior to the first, and many persons would prefer them to the arrangement in which _white_ replaces _black_. I cannot too strongly recommend the arrangement 2 and 3 to artists, for whom these observations are especially designed.

206. 1. _Red, Blue_, &c. 2. _Black, Red, Blue, Black_. 3. _Black, Red, Black, Blue, Black_, &c. No. 2 is preferable to No. 3, because there are too many sombre colours in the latter, and because these differ too much from the _red_. The effect of _black_ upon the binary arrangement, _red_ and _blue_, is inferior to that of _white_.

207. 1. _Red, Violet_, &c. 2. _Black, Red, Violet, Black_, &c. 3. _Black, Red, Black, Violet, Black_, &c. The _red_ and _violet_ injure each other, it is therefore advantageous to separate them by _black_; but the latter does not produce so good an effect as _white_. It is difficult to say whether No. 3 is preferable to 2; because, if there be in the latter _red_ near _violet_, this defect is more than compensated in 3, by the predominance of sombre colours over the _red_.

208. 1. _Orange-Yellow_, &c. 2. _Black, Orange-Yellow_, &c. 3. _Black, Orange, Black, Yellow, Black_, &c. The _orange_ and _yellow_ being very luminous, the _black_ allies itself to them very well in the arrangement 2 and 3; and if the arrangement, _white, orange, yellow, white_, be preferred to No. 2, I think that in the arrangement 3, the _black_ produces a superior effect to the _white_.

209. 1. _Orange, Green_, &c. 2. _Black, Orange, Green_, &c. 3. _Black, Orange, Black, Green, Black_, &c. _Black_ combines well with _orange_, and with _bright green_. In like manner it combines well with _orange_ and _yellow_. If, in the arrangement 2, _white_ be preferred to _black_, I think it cannot be in 3. I recommend to artists the combination of _black_ with the binary arrangements _orange_ and _yellow, orange_ and _green_.

210. 1. _Orange, Violet_, &c. 2. _Black, Orange, Violet, Black_, &c. 3. _Black, Orange, Black, Violet, Black_, &c. _Black_ does not combine so well as _white_ with _orange_ and _violet_, because the proportion of dark colours relatively to _orange_, a very vivid colour, is too great.

211. 1. _Yellow, Bright Green_, &c. 2. _Black, Yellow, Green, Black_, &c. 3. _Black, Yellow, Black, Green, Black_, &c. _Yellow_ and _light green_ being luminous colours, _black_ combines very well with them; and if in the arrangement 2 the effect of _white_ be preferred to that of _black_, I think that it cannot be in the arrangement 3.

212. 1. _Yellow, Blue_, &c. 2. _Black, Yellow, Blue, Black_, &c. 3. _Black, Yellow, Black, Blue, Black_, &c. If the arrangement 2 be preferable to 3, I think it inferior to 1. The _black_ does not appear to combine so well as the white in the group _yellow_ and _blue_.

213. 1. _Green, Blue_, &c. 2. _Black, Green, Blue, Black_, &c. 3. _Black, Green, Black, Blue, Black_, &c. Although _green_ and _blue_ do not well accord, yet the combination with _black_ is not decidedly advantageous. Because of the augmentation of the proportion of sombre colours, the _white_ has a superior effect to the _black_.

214. 1. _Green, Violet_, &c. 2. _Black, Green, Violet, Black_. 3. _Black, Green, Black, Violet, Black_, &c. If the _black_ unite better with _green_ and _violet_ than with _green_ and _blue_, yet these ternary combinations are inferior to the binary combinations; and inferior to the ternary combination where it is replaced by _white_.

215. 1. _Blue, Violet_, &c. 2. _Black, Blue, Violet, Black_, &c. 3. _Black, Blue, Black, Violet, Black_, &c.

216. Although _blue_ and _violet_ are colours which do not accord well, and although there is an advantage in separating them, yet it must be remembered that _black_ in isolating them, does not relieve their sombre colour, but, on the other hand, the harmony of the arrangements of 2 and 3 is more agreeable as a harmony of analogy than the harmony of contrast presented by _white_ with the same colours. Thus there are cases in which the assemblage of _black, blue_, and _violet_, may be advantageous, when it is desired to produce diversified, but not striking effects.

ARTICLE III.

_Colours with Grey_.

Plate 10.

217. All the primary colours gain purity and brilliancy by the proximity of grey; yet the effects are far from being like or even analogous to those which result from the proximity of the same colours with white. This will not create surprise, if it be remembered that while white preserves the character of each colour and exalts it by contrast, it can never be taken for a colour properly so called; grey, on the contrary, may be; it happens that the latter makes with the most sombre colours, as blue, violet, and deep tones in general, assortments which belong to the harmonies of analogy; while, with colours naturally brilliant, such as red, orange, yellow, and the light tones of green, they form analogies of contrast. But, although white contrasts more with sombre colours than with those that are naturally luminous, there is not observed between white and those two kinds of colours the difference observable between grey and the same colours. This result confirms what I have said of the binary combinations of black. (203.)

A.—_Binary Combinations._

218. _Grey and Blue, Grey and Violet_, form arrangements of which the harmony of analogy is agreeable, yet less so than that of _black_ with the same colours.

219. _Grey and Orange, Grey and Yellow_, _Grey and Bright Green_, form equally agreeable arrangements of harmony of contrast; perhaps they are less so than those in which _grey_ is replaced by _black_.

220. _Grey and Rose_ are a little dull and inferior to _Black and Rose_. All the binary arrangements of _grey_, except, perhaps, that of _orange_, are inferior to those of _white_.

B.—_Ternary Combinations of Complementary Colours with Grey_.

221. _Red_, _Green_, _&c_.—1. _Red, Green_, &c. 2. _Grey, Red, Green, Grey_, &c. 3. _Grey, Red, Grey, Green, Grey_, &c. If it be doubtful whether the binary assortment of _grey, red, and green_, be favourable, it cannot be called injurious. The third assortment is, perhaps, inferior to that in which the grey is replaced by _black_.

222. _Blue and Orange._—1. _Blue, Orange_, &c. 2. _Grey, Blue, Orange, Grey_. 3. _Grey, Blue, Grey, Orange, Grey_, &c. I prefer the first arrangement to the two others.

223. _Yellow and Violet._—1. _Yellow, Violet_, &c. 2. _Grey, Yellow, Violet, Grey_, &c. 3. _Grey, Yellow, Grey, Violet, Grey_, &c. Although the arrangements 2 and 3 are lighter than the arrangements in which _grey_ is replaced by _black_, yet the binary arrangement appears to me preferable to the ternary.

C.—_Ternary Assortments of Colours not Complementary to each other with Grey._

224. _Red and Orange._—1. _Red, Orange_, &c. 2. _Grey, Red, Orange, Grey_, &c. 3. _Grey, Red, Grey, Orange, Grey_, &c. The arrangements 2 and 3 are preferable to the binary. The third is preferable to the second. In short, the grey produces, with _red_ and _orange_, a better effect than _white_, but the effect is inferior to that of _black_.

225. _Red and Yellow._—1. _Red, Yellow_, &c. 2. _Grey, Red, Yellow, Green_, &c. 3. _Grey, Red, Grey, Yellow, Grey_, &c. Although the grey combines well with the _red_ and the _yellow_, it has not so decidedly advantageous an effect as _black_ in the binary arrangement.

226. _Red and Blue._—1. _Red, Blue_, &c. 2. _Grey, Red, Blue, Grey_, &c. 3. _Grey, Red, Grey, Blue, Grey_, &c. The arrangement 2 is preferable to 3. I dare not say to 1. The effect of grey is inferior to that of _white_.

227. _Red and Violet._—1. _Red, Violet_, &c. 2. _Grey, Red, Violet, Grey_, &c. 3. _Grey, Red, Grey, Violet, Grey_, &c. The assortment 3 appears to me superior to 2, and the second to the first; but it is difficult to say whether _grey_ is superior to _black_. I am certain it is superior to _white_.

228. _Orange and Yellow._—1. _Orange, Yellow_, &c. 2. _Grey, Orange, Yellow, Grey_, &c. 3. _Grey, Orange, Grey, Yellow, Grey_, &c. The assortment 3 appears to me preferable to 2; the harmony of contrast is less intense than with _black_. The assortment 3 is, perhaps, superior to the assortment of _white, orange, white, yellow, white_.

229. _Orange and Green._—1. _Orange, Green_, &c. 2. _Grey, Orange, Green, Grey_, &c. 3. _Grey, Orange, Grey, Green, Grey_, &c. Grey combines well with _orange_ and _green_, but it does not contrast so agreeably as _black_ or _white_.

230. _Orange and Violet._—1. _Orange, Violet_, &c. 2. _Grey, Orange, Violet, Grey_, &c. 3. _Grey, Orange, Grey, Violet, Grey_, &c. The binary assortment appears to me preferable to the other two. The assortment 2 is preferable to 3. If the _grey_ is a little dull with _orange_ and _violet_, it has not the same disadvantage as _black_, in causing too great a predominance of sombre colour.

231. _Yellow and Green._—1. _Yellow, Green_, &c. 2. _Grey, Yellow, Green, Grey_, &c. 3. _Grey, Yellow, Grey, Green, Grey_, &c. _Grey_ combines well with _yellow_ and _green_, but the assortments 2 and 3 are a little dull, and inferior to those in which _black_ replaces _grey_.

232. _Yellow and Blue._—1. _Yellow, Blue_, &c. 2. _Grey, Yellow, Blue, Grey_, &c. 3. _Grey, Yellow, Grey, Blue, Grey_, &c. The two assortments, two and three, are inferior to the first. The _grey_ is heavy to _yellow_ and _blue_; its effect is inferior to that of _white_, and perhaps also to that of _black_.

233. _Green and Blue._—1. _Green, Blue_, &c. 2. _Grey, Green, Blue, Grey_, &c. 3. _Grey, Green, Grey, Blue, Grey_, &c. _Grey_, in its combination with _green_ and _blue_, has not the same objection as _black_, but it has an inferior effect to _white_.

234. _Green and Violet._—1. _Green, Violet_, &c. 2. _Grey, Green, Violet, Grey_, &c. 3. _Grey, Green, Grey, Violet, Grey_, &c. _Grey_ is not employed advantageously with _green_ and _violet_, it is inferior to _white_ in the ternary arrangements, and perhaps I should also give preference to _black_.

235. _Blue and Violet._—1. _Blue, Violet_, &c. 2. _Grey, Blue, Violet, Grey_, &c. 3. _Grey, Blue, Grey, Violet, Grey_, &c. The remarks made (218) in the assortment of _black_ with _blue_ and _violet_ are applicable to the arrangement with grey, taking into account the difference of tone which exists between _grey_ and _black_.

_Recapitulation._

236. I will now give a summary of the observations which appear the most striking on reading the foregoing paragraphs, premising, however, that I do not pretend to establish laws fixed upon scientific principles, but to state general propositions which express my own peculiar taste.

237. 1st. _In the harmony of contrast the complementary arrangement is superior to every other._

The tones must be as nearly as possible of the same depth to produce the finest effect. The complementary arrangement in which white associates most advantageously, is that of blue and orange, and that of yellow and violet is the least advantageous.

238. 2nd. _The Primaries, Red, Yellow, and Blue associated in pairs assort better together, as a harmony of contrast, than an arrangement formed of one of these primaries, and of a binary colour in juxtaposition with it, having the same primary as one of its elements._

_Examples._

Red and Yellow accord better than Red and Orange.
Red and Blue ” ” Red and Violet.
Yellow and Red ” ” Yellow and Orange.
Yellow and Blue ” ” Yellow and Green.
Blue and Red ” ” Blue and Violet.
Blue and Yellow ” ” Blue and Green.

239. 3rd. _The arrangement of Red, Yellow, or Blue with a binary colour containing the former, contrasts the better, as the simple colour is essentially more luminous than the binary._

Whence it follows, that in this arrangement, it is an advantage for the red, yellow, or blue to be of lower tone than the binary colour.

_Examples._

Red and Violet accord better than Blue and Violet.
Yellow and Orange ” ” Red and Orange.
Yellow and Green ” ” Blue and Green.

240. 4th. _When two colours accord badly together, it is always advantageous to separate them by White._

In this case it is more advantageous to place each colour next to white, than in an assortment where the two colours are together beside white.

241. 5th. _Black never produces a bad effect when it is associated with two luminous colours. It is therefore often preferable to White, especially in an assortment where it separates the colours from each other._

_Examples._

1. Red and Orange.

Black is preferable to white in the arrangements 2 and 3 of these two colours. 2. Red and Yellow. 3. Orange and Yellow. 4. Orange and Green. 5. Yellow and Green.

Black, with all these binary assortments, produces harmony of contrast.

242. 6th. _Black in combination with sombre colours, such as blue and violet, and with broken tones of luminous colours, produces harmony of analogy, which, in many instances, may have a good effect._

The harmony of analogy of black, associated with blue and violet, is preferable to the harmony of contrast of the assortment white, blue, violet, white, &c., the latter being too crude.

243. 7th. _Black does not accord so well with two colours, one of which is luminous, the other sombre, as when it is associated with two luminous colours. In the first instance the combination is so much the less agreeable as the luminous colour is more brilliant._

With all the following assortments Black is inferior to White. 1. Red and Blue. 2. Red and Violet. 3. Orange and Blue. 4. Orange and Violet. 5. Yellow and Blue. 6. Green and Blue. 7. Green and Violet.

With the assortment yellow and violet, if it is not inferior to white, it produces only a mediocre effect.

244. 8th. _Although Grey never produces exactly a bad effect in its association with two luminous colours, yet in most cases its assortments are dull, and it is inferior to Black and White_.

Among the assortments of two luminous colours, there are scarcely any besides those of red and orange with which grey associates more happily than white. But it is inferior to it, as also to black, in the arrangements red and green, red and yellow, orange and yellow, orange and green, yellow and green. It is also inferior to white, with yellow and blue.

245. 9th. _Grey, in combining with sombre colours, such as Blue and Violet, and with broken tones of luminous colours, produces harmonies of analogy, which have not the vigour of those with black; although the colours do not combine well together, it has the advantage of separating them from each other._

246. 10th. _When Grey is associated with two colours, one of which is luminous the other sombre, it will perhaps be more advantageous than White, if this produces too strong a contrast of tone; on the other hand, it may be more advantageous than Black, if that increases too much the proportion of sombre colours._

_Examples._

Grey associates better than Black with—

1. Orange and Violet. 2. Green and Blue. 3. Green and Violet.

247. 11th. If, when two colours accord badly, there is in principle an advantage in separating them by White, Black, or Grey, it is important to the effect to take into consideration—1. The height of tone of the colours. 2. The proportion of sombre to luminous colours, including, in the first, the broken brown tone of the brilliant scales, and in the luminous colours, the light tones of the Blue and Violet scales.

Consider the height of tone of the colours.

248. The effect of white with red and orange is inferior as their tones become higher, especially in the assortment white, red, orange, white, &c.; the effects of the white being too crude. On the contrary, black unites very well with the normal tones of the same colours, that is to say, the highest tones without any mixture of black. Although grey does not associate so well as black with red and orange, it has the advantage of producing a less crude effect than white.

Consider the proportion of sombre to luminous colours.

249. Whenever colours differ very much, either in tone or in brilliancy, from the black or white with which we wish to associate them, that arrangement where each of the two colours is separated from the other by black or white, is preferable to that in which the black or the white separate each pair of colours. Thus the assortment white, blue, white, violet, white, &c., is preferable to the assortment white, blue, violet, white, &c., because the separation of the brilliant from the sombre is more equal in the first than in the second. I should add that this is somewhat more symmetrical as to the position of the two colours, and the principle of symmetry influences our judgment of things more than is generally recognised. It is also in conformity with the above, that the assortment black, red, black, orange, black, &c., is preferable to the assortment black, red, orange, black, &c.

250. Some remarks appear to me also necessary to prevent false deductions from the above propositions. In the preceding examples, the colours, including white, black, and grey, are supposed to occupy an equal extent of surface, and to be placed at equal distances apart, for without these conditions the results will be different; for example, I have preferred the assortment white, red, white, yellow, white, to the assortment white, red, yellow, white. There are some cases in which the latter is preferable to the former, as in the arrangement of flowers in gardens, especially yellow and rose flowers, which present less coloured surface than the white flowers with which they are associated.

251. I have spoken of the good effects of black and green separated, and I may add that green designs upon a black ground are also agreeable; but it does not follow that black lace upon a green stuff will have a good effect, at least on the optical quality of black, for this acquires a rusty tint, which resembles a faded colour.

252. The more colours are opposed, the easier it is to assort them; because they do not experience by their mutual juxtaposition, any modification which renders them disagreeable, as generally happens to colours which are very nearly alike. Must we then conclude that with two colours which have in this case been indicated to an artist to be employed, with some liberty to modify them, he should endeavour to increase the effect of contrast rather than that of analogy? Certainly not; for frequently the latter is preferable to the former. For example:—Take orange-red and a pure red, instead of increasing the yellow in the orange-red, or of giving a violet hue to the red, it sometimes will be preferable to incline towards the harmony of scale or of hue, by endeavouring to make the orange one of the light tones of a scale whose red will be brown.

253. In conformity with this manner of observing, when we would avoid the bad effect of two adjacent colours by white, black, or grey, we must see whether, instead of a harmony of contrast, it may not be better to obtain the harmony of analogy.

254. Finally, when we bring into combination not normal grey, but a coloured grey, we are always sure of obtaining an effective harmony of contrast by taking a grey coloured with a complementary of that opposed to it. Thus an orange-grey or carmelite-brown or maroon has a good effect with light blue.

FIRST DIVISION.—IMITATION OF COLOURED OBJECTS WITH COLOURED MATERIALS IN A STATE OF INFINITE DIVISION.