Thomas Cole (1801–1848)
Diagram of Contrasts, 1834
Oil on panel, 23 1/2 x 35 in.
Thomas Cole National Historic Site, Gift of Richard T. Sharp, TC.2025.5

Thomas Cole was fascinated with color, as evidenced by this color wheel and his extensive writings on the subject. He likely used this painting as a reference in his studio to explore color relationships and the effects of light and shadow. For Thomas, color was not only essential to the expressive power of art, but also deeply connected to music, sound, and human emotion.

In his journals, Thomas drew color wheels and wrote about the connections between color, musical notes, and emotions. He even designed an instrument that could “play the sound of color.” In a journal entry from November 1834, he wrote:

I believe that colours are as capable of affecting—by combination, degree, and arrangement—as sound. The melody of sound depends upon arrangement, so colour may be arranged with corresponding effect. The harmony of sound depends upon combination, so does that of colour.

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