比較歐洲繪畫的用色風格

Abstract

色彩是繪畫的風格指標，也是造形藝術的重要元素，但是系統性分析色彩風格演變的議題在藝術史的文獻當中並不多見，此現象或可歸因於繪畫色彩包含複雜的脈絡資訊，而色彩又是只能透過眼睛才能感受到的個體經驗，很難透過文字語言精確傳達，因而造成學者們討論上的窒礙。 本研究為了突破直觀繪畫色彩敘述限制，以本實驗室根據色彩知覺開發的軟體Color Profiler量化繪畫當中的明暗對比、寒暖色等足以代表某一作品色彩風格的特徵，進而比較地區之間的用色習慣的異同。 研究者先由專業的藝術史資料庫CGFA網站蒐集約5000張不同地區時代的歐洲繪畫，再抽取繪畫當中的對比、亮度、飽和、紅、綠、黃、藍等七個轉換為數值的色彩特徵，將這些資料進行統計分析後，歸納各地區繪畫用色的特色為：北歐地區對比度最高；英國地區對比度最低；俄羅斯地區色彩特徵最不同於其他地區，亮度最高、飽和度最低、對比度高、而且用最多藍色及綠色、用最少紅色及黃色；尼德藍地區最暗，使用最少藍色和綠色；南歐地區使用最多紅色及黃色；而西歐地區用色相對而言較無特殊之處。 這樣的結果補充了過去繪畫史對色彩風格變遷的不足陳述，也呼應了各地區畫派在顏料調製和繪畫程序方面的技術差異，對於繪畫史領域提供相當有意義的參考資訊。

In this study we surveyed the characteristic color usages in European paintings across a time span of more than 600 years with a quantitative procedure. The purpose was to provide an object view on the transition of color signature across a few historically significant areas in all times. We developed a color statistic software, Color Profiler, to facilitate extracting color features in paintings. Over 5,000 European paintings collected from CGFA art history website were fed into the color statistic software. The output is seven values representing each painting’s color features, including contrast, brightness, saturation, reddish, greenish, yellowish and bluish values. Those values were calculated based on HSB color system, and the selection of which was closely tied to color perception. The statistics of the color features shows diversity among different areas. Among the 5,000 paintings, Northern European paintings appear to be of highest contrast, while those from England appear to be of lowest value. Russian paintings exhibit remarkable differences compared to that from other areas. They are of highest brightness and lowest saturation, high contrast, highest bluish and greenish value, and lowest reddish and yellowish value. Western European paintings show less statistically significant signatures. The color features represent the color transition in paintings distributed around Europe. The results can be a meaningful resource for future study in art history field.