Robert Fludd

The colour-circle, probably the first to have been printed, operates with five colours (blue, green, red and two types of yellow) and gives their position in relation to black and white. An influence from the Antiquity, especially from Aristotle, reaches into the 17th century and seems impossible to ignore. Accordingly, its history is represented in some detail. In the course of our journey, in addition to Aristotle we meet figures such as Empedocles, Democritus, Plato, Avicenna, Alhazen, Roger Bacon und Nikolaus Cusanus. (Detailed text)


Date: The system appeared between 1629 and 1631 in a work on medicine.

Country of origin: England

Basic colours: Blue, green, red and two different yellows

Form: Circle

Related systems: Pythagoras, Aristotle, PlatonForsiusField

Bibliography: R. Fludd, «Medicina Catholica», 2 volumes, Frankfurt, C. Rötelli, 1629-1631; J. Godwin, «Robert Fludd Hermetic philosopher and surveyor of two worlds», London 1979; John Gage, «Colour and Culture, Practice and Meaning from Antiquity to Abstraction», Thames and Hudson, 1993, pp. 9 and 171 (mention and comment).