Editing Color theory (section)

{{Short description|Principles to describe the practical behavior of colors}}
{{Distinguish|colorimetry}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Use American English|date=August 2016}}
[[File:GoetheFarbkreis.jpg|right|thumb|[[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe|Goethe]]'s color wheel from his 1810 ''[[Theory of Colours]]'']]

'''Color theory''', or more specifically '''traditional color theory''', is a historical body of knowledge describing the behavior of colors, namely in [[color mixing]], [[color contrast]] effects, [[color harmony]], [[color scheme]]s and [[color symbolism]].<ref name="Handprint1">{{cite web |last1=MacEvoy |first1=Bruce |title=Color Theory |url=https://handprint.com/HP/WCL/wcolor.html |website=Handprint |access-date=8 February 2024}}</ref> Modern color theory is generally referred to as [[color science]]. While there is no clear distinction in scope, traditional color theory tends to be more subjective and have artistic applications, while color science tends to be more objective and have functional applications, such as in chemistry, astronomy or [[color reproduction]]. Color theory dates back at least as far as [[Aristotle]]'s treatise ''[[On Colors]]'' and [[Bharata_(sage)|Bharata's]] [[Natya_Shastra|Nāṭya Shāstra]]. A formalization of "color theory" began in the 18th century, initially within a partisan controversy over [[Isaac Newton]]'s theory of color (''[[Opticks]]'', 1704) and the nature of primary colors. By the end of the 19th century, a schism had formed between traditional color theory and color science.