L'humeur vagabonde (12/18)also in English: Black: The History of a Color
"Black: is it a color or a non-color? An ambiguous color, color of contrasts, of morning and of celebrations, of poverty and of sumptuosity. Color of the devil and of witches, color of the humility of saints and of the poor's younger brothers. Color of filth and of writing, color of the rocker and of the elegant. Color of the night that evokes fear and intense vibration of light with Soulages. We can discuss black. But how do we describe it?"
During the Middle Ages, says Pastoureau, it wasn't uncommon for people to dress entirely in yellow, which is unthinkable today. It was from the Reformation and the Counter Reformation that we inherit the notion of "honest" colors and "dishonest" colors. And red, green and yellow fall into the latter category, while black, grey and white are the honest ones.
Michel Pastoureau is a "marvelous repeat offender" and Black is the latest of his books about color.
