832 



COLOR 



COLOR 



would be safe to say, therefore, that the circle demon- 

 strates the fact that its colors situated at right angles 

 with each other are discordant, and those lying nearly 

 parallel with each other are harmonious. 



This is the theoretical side of color harmony. The 

 practical side is scarcely different; it simply modifies the 

 theory. Brilliant blue and orange, which are theoreti- 

 cally harmonious, are scarcely as agreeable in each 

 other's company as the rule would imply. The trouble, 

 however, lies with the brilliancy. The golden calendula 

 and the deep purple aster in association are violent and 

 aggressive. Remove the one and the other and substi- 

 tute pale-tinted flowers of these hues and the result 

 will be harmonious. 



Flower families are very likely to sustain harmonies 

 of analogy. Hyacinths, sweet peas, and nasturtiums 



1038. The circle of 360 in colors. 



represent groups with very nearly related hues or tints. 

 There is a predominating influence of crimson-pink 

 among sweet peas, of lilac among hyacinths, and of 

 orange among nasturtiums, yet the influence at times 

 (in a particular variety) is wholly wanting and is 

 replaced by an analogous tint or hue. It would be a 

 rather nice bit of color adjustment which would result 

 in a harmony superior to that of a careless grouping 

 together of flowers gathered at random from any one 

 of these three genera. 



But the theory that analogous colors harmonize is 

 correct only when not carried to excess. Attempts to 

 force deep-hued flowers into harmony often lead to 

 contrary results. A range of color from crimson to 

 ultramarine depends for its harmony upon the careful 

 grading of intermediate hues. Such colors, in full force, 

 might do violence to each other. It is tempting the 

 hardness of a diamond to pound it with a hammer. It 

 is taxing crimson too heavily to expect it to show its 

 beauty in the presence of strong violet! The effort 

 should rather be to merge the individualities of the 

 crimson and the purple flowers into a group and effect 

 a play of color between the two. 



The theory that colors at right angles on the wheel 

 are discordant is also subject to some modification. 

 Relatively the right-angled colors must be crude and 

 strong to affect the eye objectionably. Yellow and red 

 in the rose is an agreeable color-combination. Yellow 

 and red dahlias crowded together are certainly harsh 

 and unneighborly. 



A country bouquet of asters, marigolds, fuchsias and 

 dahlias is bad, because the country garden is not a part 

 of it. Atmosphere, space, and a stretch of green foliage 

 make a world of difference. 



It is wisest to try the effect of one color upon another 

 before allowing two or three strong hues to wage war 



with each other. It will be found quickly that white is a 

 peacemaker, and green is an invaluable mediator. With 

 these colors at command, the chances of discord are 

 reduced to a minimum. Everything also depends upon 

 simplicity in color-combinations. It is questionable 

 whether a combination of more than two colors can 

 be ever esthetically a success. The adjustment of 

 many colors needs the hand of an expert. 



The restriction of color in flowers. 



The very strict limitation of range in flower-colors 

 demands careful study if it would be thoroughly under- 

 stood. Augustin Pyramus de Candolle divided flower- 

 colors into two classes, which he named xanthic (red, 

 scarlet, orange, gold-orange, yellow, and green-yellow), 

 and cyanic (green-blue, blue, ultramarine- violet, violet, 

 purple, and red). Further, he explained, flowers of the 

 yellow (xanthic) series could pass into red or white 

 but never into blue, and those of the blue (cyanic) 

 series could pass into red or white but never into yellow. 

 The theory is correct but it requires both modification 

 and revision. Gold-orange must evidently displace 

 yellow, and ultramarine-violet displace blue as series 

 names; furthermore, the passage into red should not 

 exceed scarlet-red in the xanthic series, or crimson-red 

 in the cyanic series. Pure red logically should be the 

 zero point between the two divisions, and not be 

 included in either unless connected by analogous hues. 



Gold-orange and ultramarine-violet are respectively 

 the type-colors of the two series because each occupies 

 a median position with equal influence on either hand. 

 Red, occupying the median position between the two 

 series, should and does exercise an equal influence on 

 both; a casual glance at the chromatic scale demon- 

 strates the fact. Neither the xanthic nor the cyanic 

 series can exclusively claim the respective yellow and 

 blue in absolute purity, for the cogent reason that 

 among flowers yellow is associated with both these 

 divisions, and a true blue scarcely appears at all. 

 Further, if pure red is the zero point between the two 

 series, then the consistent red of the xanthic order is 

 scarlet-red, and that of the cyanic order is crimson- 

 red; a pure red or pure yellow flower, therefore, con- 

 sistently belongs to either order according to its xanthic 

 or cyanic congeners. 



The best proofs of the above statements are to be 

 found among the flowers themselves. Asters belong to 

 the cyanic group, but there is no blue aster. Tropseo- 

 lums belong to the xanthic group, but there is no pure 

 yellow nasturtium; there are, however, ultramarine- 

 violet asters and gold-yellow nasturtiums. There is a 

 pure yellow, a golden orange, but no white marigold 

 (Tagetes) ; the species is xanthic. The family Cru- 

 ciferse is cyanic; it includes pure yellow, deeper yellow, 

 and magenta flowers. The genus Hyacinthus is cyanic; 

 it includes no blue flower, but many which are purple, 

 violet, cyanic red, and modified yellow. Viola tricolor 

 is cyanic; it includes a strong yellow along with intense 

 purple and violet-ultramarine flowers. The genus 

 Zinnia is xanthic, it includes no true yellow flower but 

 many which range through all reds into cyanic crimson. 

 The genus Rosa is cyanic; its flowers range from pure 

 red to magenta-crimson, develop a strong, modified 

 yellow, fuse yellow with crimson, but never approach 

 the xanthic gold-orange. The genus Chrysanthemum is 

 xanthic; its flowers include all yellows, skip pure orange 

 and scarlet, and range from scarlet-red to cyanic red- 

 crimson. 



Species belonging to the cyanic group invariably pro- 

 duce white flowers which have an albino origin. Spe- 

 cies of the xanthic order produce white flowers which 

 are not albinos but which invariably displace flowers of 

 some strong, pure xanthic hue. For example, geraniums 

 are white, red,. scarlet, and pink, but never gold-orange 

 or golden yellow. Carnations are white, red, and car- 

 dinal-red, but never scarlet, or orange. Chrysanthe- 



