This paper mainly deals with the characteristics of Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775~1851)'s use of colors, expecially in his later works. It is well known that Turner was deeply interested in optical effects and colors throughout his later period Therefore, most studies on Turner's paintings usually focus on a creative use of light and colors perfectly harmonized on his canvases, and understood Turner's light and colors as a "Romantic Revelation," "Emotional Empathy," or "Forerunner of Impressionism."
However, I have found that Turner, particularly, in his later works, consciously experimented with the use of the polarity of colors m order to represent the contrasting subject matters in two companion works. Therefore, this article attempts to discuss anti-Newtonians' thought as one of the influential integrals to Turner's use of colors, and to understand it in relationship with the development of science during that period.
In 1704, Isaac Newton published Opticks and discussed that all colors in the spectrum exist in white light Afterwards, many studies began to understand colors in relation to the sunlight.
Opposed to Newton's and his followers' hypotheses, Johann Wolfgang van Goethe published a series of articles to argue that colors were not light, but entitles to be experienced in reality In 1810, Goethe published Farbenlehre and discussed that color could be both active and passive to light, and employed this concept as an inspiration for his literary works. Reminded in the image of a magnet, Goethe believed that a natural phenomenon had its own opposing poles like evil and good, and dark and light. This conception of "a pair of opposition" had been already referred in Stoicism, mysticism, magic and alchemy. To Goethe, this conception was both a kind of religion and a logical conclusion.
In fact, the anti-Newtoman attitude was not Goethe's own particular Opinion, but rather was a sort of intellectual rebels commonly shared among philosophers during that period against the positivist and mechanistic philosophy that were developing toward a scientific and materialistic point of view throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth century Turner was also fascinated with this anti-Newtoman thought and became deeply indulged with It through the intellectual interactions with his contemporaries such as David Brewster, George Field, J
D. Passavant and P J de Loutherbourg Although Turner had been familar with Goethe's theories, his anti-Newtoman attitude became more strengthened after reading Farbenlehre. In addition, the interactions with English scientists like Michael Feraday and Mary Somerville, and photographer J J. E. Mayall, gave him a strong conviction for the polarity of primitive light and dark.
Goethe, in his Farbenlehre, perceived yellow and blue as primary colors coming from the two poles of light and dark. Then, according to the color circle, he classified red, yellow and green as plus colors, while blue, blue-green, and purple as minus colors. He characterized plus colors as action, light, brightness, force, warmth, proximity, repulsion, affinity with acids, while minus colors, as negation, shadow, darkness, weakness, coldness, distance, attraction, affinities wsth alkalis. Turner's works on which the polarities of colors are represented do not only display the contrast of colors, but also intentionally display their contrasting features mentioned in Goethe's Farbenlehre. I believe that it was established as one of Tuner's later stylistic elements.
It is found that Turner's interest in light during the 1810s and 1820s developed into an interest in the contrast of light and dark. During 1828~31, his works show that he experimented with a polarity of colors. In 1830s, he contrasted merely yellow and blue, however, after 1840s, he experimented with a broader range of colors and contrasted plus colors such as orange and red with minus colors such as blue, navy and purple. In addition, Turner's works after 1840 share in common to have a octagonal form and circular composition. Such visual elements affirm that Turner intentionally represented the polarity of colors in his later works as I pointed out in this article I believe that this study will provide an opportunity to understand the originality in Tuner's use of colors, and to give a concrete idea about what is "a representation of the polarity of colors."