Helmholtz ’s Critique of Goethe’s Theory of Color More than Meets the Eye

After arriving at the University of K önigsberg in 1849, Hermann von Helmholtz started investigating the trichromatic hypothesis of color perception proposed by Thomas Young. Four years later in 1853 he was invited to lecture to the German Society and used the opportunity to criticize harshly Johann Goethe’s Theory of Color published in 1810. Offending a revered member of German society was an odd method of introducing the study of color to a learned audience. but the content and tone of the lecture suggested Helmholtz was more concerned about dispelling misconceptions of experimental science than in imparting knowledge on the nature of color.
Source: Survey of Ophthalmology - Category: Opthalmology Authors: Tags: History of ophthalmology Source Type: research