First published 1810

Theory Of Colours

by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Theory of Colours (Zur Farbenlehre) is Goethe's study of colour and its perception, first printed by Cotta in Tübingen in 1810. It disputed Newton's account of light and influenced Turner. Charles Eastlake's abridged English translation was published by John Murray in London in 1840.

Editions tracked
1
First published
Cotta'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, Tübingen, 1810
First UK edition
John Murray, 1840
Editions

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Editions

  1. MIT Press (MA)1970 Hardback I own Theory Of Colours, MIT Press (MA) 1970 Log in to want this

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Editions recorded
5 on Open Library, 3 in English
Wikipedia
Articles in 25 languages

From Wikidata and Open Library, both CC0. A prize or a new adaptation often lifts demand for the first printing.

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We track 1 edition of Theory Of Colours. Each has its own page with how to identify it.

When was Theory Of Colours first published?

Theory Of Colours by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was first published in 1810.

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Where these facts come from

Every fact on this page was checked against the sources listed. Checked 22 October 2026. Reviewed by Harriet Ellis; read how we check facts.

More pictures

Hand-coloured plate from Goethe's Zur Farbenlehre showing colour wheels and coloured discs
Plate 1 from Goethe's Zur Farbenlehre, published in 1810.Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons · Public domain
Title page of Goethe's Zur Farbenlehre, first volume, printed in Tübingen
Title page of Goethe's Zur Farbenlehre.Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons · Public domain