top of page

The unforgettable, unknown history of colors and the vivid stories behind them in a beautiful multi-colored volume.

 

The Secret Lives of Color tells the unusual stories of seventy-five fascinating shades, dyes, and hues. From blonde to ginger, the brown that changed the way battles were fought to the white that protected against the plague, Picasso’s blue period to the charcoal on the cave walls at Lascaux, acid yellow to kelly green, and from scarlet women to imperial purple, these surprising stories run like a bright thread throughout history.

In this book, Kassia St. Clair has turned her lifelong obsession with colors and where they come from (whether Van Gogh’s chrome yellow sunflowers or punk’s fluorescent pink) into a unique study of human civilization. Across fashion and politics, art and war, the secret lives of color tell the vivid story of our culture.

 

Hardcover, 320 pages. Cover measures 5.5 x 8.6 inches.

The Secret Lives of Color by Kassia St. Clair

$25.00Price
Quantity

STREET ADDRESS

715 West Main Street

Louisville, Kentucky 40202

502.589.0102

Admission to KMAC is free for students and

children thanks to the generous support of our donors.

KMAC is also supported in part by our members,

The Fund for the Arts, and the Kentucky Arts Council.

 

KMAC celebrates diversity and is committed to intentional, on-going work that fosters equity and facilitates accessibility. KMAC is deeply committed to providing art experiences for everyone. KMAC exists to spark curiosity, inspire meaningful connections, and foster a deep sense of inclusion, belonging, and purpose that ripples beyond the museum’s walls.

OPERATING HOURS:

Tuesday - Sunday OPEN 10-5

Monday CLOSED​

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • TikTok
  • Threads
  • TripAdvisor - Black Circle
  • Yelp - Black Circle

© 2025 KMAC Museum, Inc.

bottom of page