explains in his brief methodological introduction, titled 'Color Is Not Black and White,' color is not just a 'natural phenomenon' but also 'a complex cultural construct that resists generalization and, indeed, analysis itself' (7). But while the text reads easily and is filled with fascinating anecdotes, anyone expecting a comprehensive or scholarly account of the 'history of a color' will come away disappointed.Īs the rich scholarly literature on color perception and symbolism - much of which is cited in the bibliography, but very little of which is actually used - makes plain, the study of color is fraught with complication. Although it has the appearance of a coffee-table book, the volume's publication by Princeton University Press suggests that it will be useful to serious scholars as well as general readers.

Cruse, a historian of French medieval literature. This volume, a translation of the French original published by Editions de Seuil in 2000, is splendidly produced, with glossy pages and gorgeous color plates, and the text is well served by the fluid translation of Markus I. The author is a prominent cultural historian whose publications cover a vast array of topics, from sigillography to heraldry to, more recently, color symbolism his research on dyeing practices in medieval and early modern Europe is of the highest caliber, illuminating an otherwise understudied domain of medieval history. There is much about this volume to commend it. If only Michel Pastoureau's new book had been given a less sweeping title - something like 'Blue: Selected Moments in the History of Its Use, Especially in Textiles, in Parts of Western Europe' - I would have happily offered it a more favorable review.

Michel pastoureau blue