^{[Ed note: you may recognize this title from a mini-review Mary Wilson submitted in June. Sometimes this left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is reading! Please accept it as a prequel for this more in-depth review. Clearly, the book’s contents are of interest.]}

^{The Secret Lives of Colour by Kassia St. Clair (2016)  Reviewed by Susan Latreille}

^{I am new to the world of painting, having been inspired by Robin Patterson at her Glengarry Pioneer Museum workshop in July of 2024. When I read The Lady with the Dark Hair (reviewed here 13 February 2025), I had lots of questions. Still, they were rather general queries about colourists and the acquisition of pigments, and I received general type answers from Google. I needed to know more, especially when I started painting, but I didn’t want theory (I have several books on that topic); I wanted history.}

^{I found what I was looking for in The Secret Lives of Colour, where I got a lot of answers and some very fascinating information about colours.  This non-fiction title is included in Erin Bartels’ Suggested Reading list, and it was one of the books that she used in her research for The Lady with the Dark Hair.}

^{As artists, many of you may find the information in this book redundant,  …. or maybe not!}

• ^{Did you know that Messrs. Winsor and Newton were colourmen and that Francisco Vella’s travels in The Lady with the Dark Hair probably mirror some of their journeys in the quest for pigments.}
• ^{Do you know that Ultramarine was once worth its weight in gold? And why French Ultramarine has most likely replaced that original pigment on your palette?} 

^{You will find the answers to these and many other questions inside The Secret Lives of Colour. Pages 39 to 281 of this 320-page book are completely dedicated to the story of and history behind 75 different colours. The first 25 pages are comprised of what might be called the science of colour, the how and why we see colour as we do, colourful language, and even the influence of colour in politics.}

^{The main body of the book is essentially organized as a series of short essays on the broad categories of whites, yellows, reds, blues, greens, and blacks, and, within the categories, the author examines a vast array of 75 individual colours of varying shades, hues and tints. These short essays of two to three pages (which sometimes sent me off to explore and gather additional information) offer a unique perspective on how colours have influenced art, fashion, politics, and more throughout history.}

^{Here is a sample of what you might discover:} 

^{Tyrian Purple was once the colour of royalty; it was extracted from sea snails and so expensive that it was reserved for the elite.}

^{Mummy Brown was a pigment made from ground-up Egyptian mummies, popular in the art world until its morbid origin became widely known.}

^{Prussian Blue was a groundbreaking synthetic pigment discovered by accident, transforming the palette of artists.}

^{Cochineal Red was derived from insects and used in everything from textiles to cosmetics and played a vital role in colonial trade.}

^{St. Clair weaves together engaging anecdotes and historical facts, exploring how colours have been used as symbols, status markers, and tools of power. She shares some of the chemical formulae, some as ancient as time, some accidentally formulated, some sought out as anxiously as when alchemists tried to create gold.} 

^{Also included is a Glossary of other interesting colours, 20 pages of Endnotes, nine pages of Bibliography and suggested further reading, and finally a comprehensive index.} 

^{The Secret Lives of Colour is an enriching and enticing journey through history that will change the way you perceive the colours around you. Extensive research was behind the compiling of this book, and despite what might sound like a heavy tome, this book is a pleasure to read — it actually has some laugh-out-loud moments!} 

^{The conversational and accessible tone makes it a joy for casual readers, and yet it is replete with fascinating information.} 

^{I so enjoyed this read (initially borrowed from the library) that I bought the book so that I have it close at hand when I want to wow someone with some colour facts.}

^{The Secret Lives of Colour is available through SDG Library (one hardcover copy). You can add this beautiful book to your own library with a purchase (hardcover or paperback) from Chapters/Indigo or Amazon.}