Colours of London: a history

Abstract

"Celebrated novelist, biographer and critic Peter Ackroyd paints a vivid picture of one of the worlds greatest cities in this brilliant and original work, exploring how the city's many hues have come to shape its history and identity. From the reds of open-top buses and terracotta bricks, to the grey smog of Victorian industry, to the gradations of yellows, violets and blues that shimmer on the Thames at sunset, Ackroyd delves into the history of this great city through its colours and hues with masterly insight. From artists (Whistler, Van Gogh, Turner, Monet), to designers (Harry Beck) and social reformers (Charles Booth), Colours of London shows us that colour is everywhere in the city, and each one holds myriad links to its past. This beautifully written book examines the city's fascinating relationship with colour, alongside specially commissioned colourized photographs from Dynamichrome, which bring a lost London back to life."-- On front flap of dust jacket.

Contents

Light -- Fire -- White -- Gold -- Blue -- Green -- Red -- Brown -- Grey -- Black -- The night -- The full spectrum.