Michel Eugène Chevreul: The Principles of

Harmony and Contrast of Colours, and

Their Applications to the Arts
October 21, 2013 · by artstrokez · in Practice, Research. ·

Fig. 1. Unknown photographer, portrait of Michel Eugène Chevreul,

http://www.wikipedia.org

Could Gestalt theory be applied on colour study? No doubt Michel Eugène Chevreul (Fig. 1)
had answered this question in the year 1855, which is 35 years earlier than Christian von
Ehrenfels’ “On ‘Gestalt Qualities'” and 57 years earlier than Max Wertheimer’s first finding
in Gestalt psychology ‘Experimental Studies of the Perception of Movement’.

According to Wikipedia, Chevreul is best known for his fatty acids, the discovery of margaric
acid, and invention of soap. However, what got me interested is his discovery on colour
contrast perception — The Principles of Harmony and Contrast of Colours, and Their
Applications to the Arts. The text has been treated as one of the most important contribution
for the foundation of colour theory. While I was researching about Gestalt laws, I was
wondering if Gestalt theory could be used into colour sector, and this somehow led me to the
well-known Chevreul’s law.
Fig. 1. Law of Simultaneous Colour Contrast, http://www.colorcube.com

Through observing a series of colour combination, Chevreul offers new principles of colour
on visual perceptual. The law of simultaneous colour contrast suggests that the contrast of
colours will “affect the optical composition of each juxtaposed colour.” (Chevreul, 1855,
p. 15) After testing a series of colour on different type of background, Chevreul argues
that the same colour might display different visual perception when placed upon different
colors of background (Fig. 1). The perceptual difference is more identified when shared in the
complementary colour, e.g., red and green, purple and orange, etc. Take Fig. 1 as example,
the yellow colour perceptually shows different kind of brightness when placed on six
different colours of background. This canonical theory is helpful to explain the figure-ground
relationship on colour and how to produce specific effects on the perception via colour
combination in space. The similar idea can also been found in Gyorgy Kepes’ (1944, p.17)
Language of Vision, in which he states that “color and value depend always upon the
immediate surrounding surfaces.” The color can be either amplified or neutralized by its
juxtaposed color.

The law of simultaneous colour contrast states that all primary colours appear as the genuine
when it was juxtaposed with grey; while black and white perceptually affect a colour’s
brightness and toning. Chevreul also argues that a colour will be treated as figure rather than
as ground when the brightness between the colour and its background are getting contrast.
This theory is not only useful for the understanding of colour contrast perception, but also
give me a hint in using colour to express the figure and ground relationship instead of merely
using black and white tones.

By

Marion Boddy-Evans

Updated January 14, 2019

Simultaneous contrast refers to the way in which two different colors affect each other. The
theory is that one color can change how we perceive the tone and hue of another when the
two are placed side by side. The actual colors themselves don't change, but we see them as
altered.
The Rule of Simultaneous Contrast

French chemist Michel Eugène Chevreul developed the rule of simultaneous contrast. It
maintains that if two colors are close together in proximity, each will take on the hue of the
complement of the adjacent color.

To understand this, we must look at the underlying hues that make up a particular color.
Bruce MacEvoy gives an example using a dark red and a light yellow in his essay, "Michel-
Eugène Chevreul's 'Principles of Color Harmony and Contrast.'" The visual complement to
light yellow is a dark blue-violet, and the complement to the dark red is light blue-green.

When these colors are viewed in their pairs next to each other, the red will appear to have
more of a violet hue and the yellow more green. MacEvoy adds, "At the same time, dull or
near neutral colors will make saturated colors more intense, though Chevreul was not clear
about this effect." 

The most intense simultaneous contrast is with colors that are complementary to begin with,
as this is the juxtaposition of color-wheel extremes.

Rules of thumb:

 A dark color put next to a light one makes them both look brighter.
 Dark next to bright makes the bright one look brighter.
 Dark next to light makes the light seem lighter and the dark darker.
 Warmer colors look warmer when placed next to cool ones.
 Cool colors look cooler when placed next to warm ones.
 A bright color next to a muted color makes the muted one look more dull.
 If two colors are of a similar brightness, the less bright they'll both look when placed next to
each other.

The Origins of Simultaneous Contrast

Simultaneous contrast was first described by the 19th century by Chevreul in his famous
book on color theory, "The Principle of Harmony and Contrast of Colors," published in 1839
(translated into English in 1854).

In the book, Chevreul systematically studied color and color perception, showing how our
brains perceive color and value relationships. MacEvoy explained the approach:

"Through observation, experimental manipulation, and basic color demonstrations practiced

on his coworkers and customers, Chevreul identified his fundamental "law" of
the simultaneous contrast of colors: At times, simultaneous contrast is referred to as
simultaneous color contrast or simultaneous color.

Van Gogh's Use of Simultaneous Contrast

Simultaneous contrast is most evident when complementary colors are placed side by side.
Think of Van Gogh's use of bright blues and yellow-oranges in the painting "Cafe Terrace on
the Place du Forum, Arles" (1888) or the reds and green in "Night Cafe in Arles" (1888). 
In a letter to his brother Theo, van Gogh described the cafe that he depicted in "Night Cafe in
Arles" as “blood red and dull yellow with a green billiard table in the center, four lemon
yellow lamps with an orange and green glow. Everywhere there is a clash and contrast of the
most disparate reds and greens.” This contrast also reflects the "terrible passions of
humanity" the artist observed at the cafe.

Van Gogh uses a simultaneous contrast of complementary colors to convey strong emotions.
The colors clash against one another, creating a feeling of uncomfortable intensity.

What This Means for Artists

Most artists understand that color theory plays a very important role in their work. Yet, it's
essential to go beyond the color wheel, complementaries, and harmonies. That is where this
theory of simultaneous contrast comes in. Remember that colors cast a shadow tinted with
their complement, so for a cohesive look to the palette, you'll want to have colors next to each
other be in the same range of tint warmth. To make a color look lighter, put a dark color next
to it and vice-versa.

Next time you're choosing a palette, think about how adjacent colors affect one another. To
test how colors will look together before putting them on canvas, paint a small swatch of each
color on separate cards. Move these cards close to and away from one another to see how
each color changes. It's a quick way to know if you will like the effect or if something needs
additional tinting before putting a color or mix on the work itself.