_On the Juxtaposition of Coloured Bodies belonging to the Colours of
the same Group of Coloured Rays._
72. Whenever there is a great difference between two contiguous
colours, the difference becomes still more appreciable by putting the
same colour successively in juxtaposition with the various colours
belonging to the same group. For example, _orange and red_.
Orange being placed beside scarlet-red, pure red and crimson-red, it
will be seen that the red acquires a purple and the orange a yellow
tint.
Violet being placed beside scarlet-red, pure red and crimson-red,
gives analogous results: the violet always appears bluer, and the red
yellower or less purple.
73. These observations explain why we obtain results in accordance with
the formula, even when such coloured substances are used as are far
from exhibiting pure colours, namely, stained papers or stuffs.
74. The juxtaposition of coloured stripes is a means of demonstrating
the difficulty of determining the types of pure colours by common
pigments; at least, if we do not take into consideration the law of
simultaneous contrast. For instance—
1. Place red in contact with orange-red; the first will
appear purple and the second yellower, as above; but
if the first red be placed beside purplish-red, the
latter will appear bluish, and the former more yellow
or orange; so that the same red will be purple in one
case and orange in the other
2. Place yellow beside orange-yellow, the former will
appear greenish and the latter redder; but if you put
the first yellow beside a greenish-yellow, the last
will appear greener, and the yellow more orange; so
that the same yellow will incline to green in one case,
and to orange in the other.
3. Place blue beside greenish-blue, the former will
incline to violet, and the second will appear yellower.
Put the same blue beside a violet-blue, the former will
incline to green, and the second will appear redder;
so that the same blue will be violet in one case and
greenish in the other.
75. Hence we see that the colours which painters term simple—red,
yellow, and blue—pass insensibly by juxtaposition into the condition
of compound colours, since the same red is purple or orange; the same
yellow is orange or green; and the same blue is green or violet.