The colour yellow and its immortal and mortal beauty

Abstract

In this paper, another in a series of papers dealing with colour terms and their etymologies (greys, reds, blues and purples having been researched previously), the author focuses on yellows: the pigments/dyes used through history, their origins, manufacture and stories that have become inextricably linked to them; the associations that specific colours seem to evoke both on personal and collective levels (culturally and socially induced colour associations); yellow colour terms and their etymologies. The colour yellow has always held a great fascination for humans throughout history as well as serving to perpetuate various social memes, some of which are of particular significance to art history studies. The relevant etymologies and the stories they tell shed light on the history of yellow pigments and dyes, and the role they have played in our civilization, whilst providing an interesting example of a language - art history interface.