The Science of Colour Vision
The emergence of the science of colour theory was pivotal to the development of impressionism. It is probably the most relevant scientific background needed to understand the perceptual principles impressionists employed in their paintings.
One important quality of being able to perceive colours is its ability to “promote figure/ground segmentation, causing an object to stand out from its background” (Sekuler and Blake, 264). Therefore, colour is a useful source of information in identification and discrimination. Colours also help to reinforce other perceptual cues. Further still, impressionists exploited the emotional and aesthetic qualities that colours can bring to a painting.
Colour is actually entirely subjective, as objects themselves do not possess colour. Thus, colour is a psychological phenomenon. The reflection of light from the visible colour spectrum give objects their coloured appearance. However, in order to see a coloured object, the light must be picked up by an eye that has a functional optical system with the right photoreceptors and visual neurons. Therefore, these waves of light must be able to initiate the appropriate response in the human nervous system to see colour.
For more information, the following four sections will give a further insight into the science of colour vision.
I. Three Colour Dimensions
II. Colour Mixing
III. Two Colour Theories
IV. Colour Physiology