The Power of Color

“This excellently illustrated volume from Yale will serve as a comprehensive survey on color in Western painting from the fifteenth century to the age of Modernism.”—Andrew Shea, New Criterion

“It has taken two years of writing and a scholarly lifetime to conceive, but Marcia Hall’s expansive study of how color has been a key through-line over five centuries of European painting is well worth the Herculean effort.”—Antiques and the Arts Weekly

CHOICE Outstanding Academic Titles, 2020

“Marcia Hall covers a familiar historical path but in a way that encourages readers to look at works of art through a different and more subtle lens. She explains and illustrates her argument with wonderful clarity.”—Jo Kirby, formerly Senior Scientific Officer, National Gallery, London

“Marcia Hall has written a wide-ranging, ambitious book that is the fruit of long reflection on the significance of color in early modern and modern Western painting.”—Stuart Lingo, University of Washington

"This book would make an excellent addition to art history curricula, especially those built to expand students’ interest and knowledge into materials and process—both key concepts for pursuing study in conservation and curatorial work. Hall’s clear writing and ability to illustrate connections across time and space make this an excellent resource for a general audience. The extensive notes and bibliography will provide specialists with avenues for additional and deeper research."—L. L. Kriner, Berea College