Its note is that of the angelus, or
of an old violin.
Just as orange is red brought nearer to humanity by yellow, so
violet is red withdrawn from humanity by blue. But the red in
violet must be cold, for the spiritual need does not allow of a
mixture of warm red with cold blue.
Violet is therefore both in the physical and spiritual sense a
cooled red. It is consequently rather sad and ailing. It is worn
by old women, and in China as a sign of mourning. In music it is
an English horn, or the deep notes of wood instruments (e.g. a
bassoon).
[Footnote: Among artists one often hears the question, "How are
you?" answered gloomily by the words "Feeling very violet."]
The two last mentioned colours (orange and violet) are the fourth
and last pair of antitheses of the primitive colours. They stand
to each other in the same relation as the third antitheses--green
and red--i.e., as complementary colours (see Fig. 2).
FIGURE II
Second Pair of antitheses (physical appeal of complementary
C and D colours)
C. Red Green = Third antithesis
Movement of the spiritually extinguished
First antithesis
Motion within itself [CIRCLE] = Potentiality of motion
= Motionlessness
Red
Ex-and concentric movements are absent
In optical blend = Gray
In mechanical blend of white and black = Gray
D.
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