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The Cultural Tutor

@culturaltutor

Jul 26, 2022 • 14 tweets • 5 min read • Read on X

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Has the world become less colourful?

(This graph shows the colour of objects over time)

If you feel like the world seems increasingly colourless, you're not just imagining it.

Take cars, for example.

Greyscale colours now make up three quarters of cars produced globally, compared to less than 50% in the past.

Just look at a parking lot from the 1980s compared to one today.

And the change has happened to interior design.

These were the most popular colours of the paint brand Dulux in 2020:

And here are the most popular kitchen paint colours in the UK, from 2019-20.

Just compare a typical 1970s home to a modern designer home.

While it is completely understandable if you don't miss the garish colours of bygone eras, it is interesting to note the change.

Similarly, there is a trend of whitewashing everything - be it made of wood, brick, plaster, or whatever.

While grey is now the most common carpet colour:

Neutral colours are by far the most popular when it comes to clothing:

Even McDonald's is less vibrant than it used to be!

This trend includes just about everything.

Consider this study, which analysed the colour of everyday objects over time.

Its conclusion is clear: neutral and greyscale colours *are* more common than ever.

What has caused this change?

And do you think it's for better or worse?

If you found this thought-provoking then you'll like my free weekly newsletter, Areopagus.

Seven short lessons every Friday to make your week more interesting, useful, and beautiful.

culturaltutor.com/areopagus

And here is a link to the fascinating study referenced in this thread.

lab.sciencemuseum.org.uk/colour-shape-u…

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The Cultural Tutor

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Sep 18

This is Hallgrímskirkja in Reykjavík, Iceland.

And it's the perfect example of an unusual architectural style called Expressionism...

This is about architecture — but the story begins with art.

The Scream by Edvard Munch (of which he made several versions) is probably the most famous example of Expressionism in art.

Expressionism was about painting how the world *felt* rather than how it *looked*.

Hence Expressionist art — which first appeared in the 1890s and really came to life in the 1920s — was defined by unnaturally vivid colours and unrealistic shapes.

Everything is dramatic, restless, and colourful.

Art as pure emotion rather than outward appearance.

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Sep 12

Portugal has some of the most delightful architecture in the world.

Why? Because it's normal for buildings to be covered in hundreds of colourful, patterned tiles.

They are called "azulejos" — and they show just how easy it is to make cities more interesting...

The etymology of the word "azulejo" tells you where it originated.

It comes from the Arabic word "al-zillij", or "zellij", a form of colourful, decorative tilework that emerged in North Africa in the 10th century.

Here's an example from the Al-Attarine Madrasa in Fes, Morocco:

Figurative art — depicting humans or animals — is essentially forbidden in mosques, and so Islamic artisans had to master other forms of decoration.

Hence the prevalence of geometric or floral design in Islamic art and architecture, all over the world, from India to Spain:

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Sep 10

Why do some cities just feel more interesting?

It's not only because of architecture — it's also details like benches, bus stops, signs, and lighting.

So here's a brief introduction to "street furniture", one of the most underrated parts of urban design...

Architecture and urban design aren't only about buildings.

They're also about "street furniture" — all the details that every city needs to function.

Benches, bins, bus stops, bollards, lights, signs, post boxes, fences, bicycle racks, fountains, manholes, and so on.

The amount of street furniture in the world has increased massively in the last century or so.

See, one of the most striking things about old photographs is how empty the streets feel.

There's just less *stuff* scattered around:

Read 25 tweets

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Sep 6

358 years ago today the Great Fire of London finally came to an end.

The city had been destroyed — and it was rebuilt in a very strange way.

This is the story of what makes London's urban design so unique...

London is strange.

It has a confusing Medieval layout with winding streets and narrow lanes... but with very little Medieval architecture.

Just compare it to other cities like York or Durham, full of Gothic towers and timber-framed houses.

Well, in the 17th century London was a bustling Medieval city with a population of nearly 400,000.

Contemporary maps and engravings show what it was like.

Wooden buildings crowded together, thatched roofs, narrow streets, winding lanes, and endless Gothic spires.

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Sep 2

This is the only painting Vincent van Gogh ever sold.

It's called The Red Vineyard and it was bought by his friend's sister.

So how did van Gogh go from selling just one painting to being the world's most famous artist? It's all because of his family...

It was October of 1888 and Vincent van Gogh was in Arles, southern France.

He had moved there from Paris in the summer, and in Arles he finally found the style for which he is now so beloved around the world.

It was here that van Gogh made some of his most famous paintings:

But at the time Vincent van Gogh was just another artist struggling to get by.

He was friends with the avant-garde crowd in Paris, who believed he was a genius.

But financial stability or wider recognition were nowhere to be seen — all he could do was keep painting.

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Aug 24

Mount Vesuvius erupted 1,945 years ago today.

Here's what happened, hour by hour, as told by somebody who witnessed it...

(The date is actually contested and some think it was 24th October, but more on that later...)

Mount Vesuvius is a volcano on the south-west coast of Italy, overlooking the Bay of Naples.

This was a thriving place in Roman times, surrounded by bustling towns and seaside villas.

The year is 79 AD.

A young man called Pliny the Younger is in the area, at a town called Misenum to the west of Vesuvius, with his mother and his uncle, known as Pliny the Elder.

He was only 18 years old then, but would go on to have a long career in Roman politics.

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