because the decay of the vegetation presaged the death of the year and the cold dreary months of winter.  The first signs of green vegetation in the spring were welcomed as an end of winter and a beginning of another bountiful summer; hence green symbolized youth and hope.  It became associated with the springtime of life and thus signified inexperience, but as the color of vegetation it also meant life itself and became a symbol of immortality.  Blue acquired certain divine attributes because, as the color of the sky, it was associated with the abode of the gods or heaven.  Also a blue sky is the acme of serenity and this color acquired certain appropriate attributes.

Associations of this character became woven into mythology and thus became firmly established.  Poets have felt these influences of light and color in nature and have given expression to them in words.  They also have entwined much of the mythology of past civilizations and these repetitions have helped to establish the expressiveness of light and color.  Early ecclesiasts employed these symbolisms in religious ceremonies and dictated the garbs of saints and other religious personages in the paintings which decorated their edifices.  Thus there were many influences at work during the early centuries when intellects were particularly susceptible through superstition and lack of knowledge.  The result has been an extensive symbolism of light, color, and darkness.

At the present time it is difficult to separate the innate appeal of light, color, and darkness from those attributes which have been acquired through associations.  Possibly light and color have no innate powers but merely appear to have because the acquired attributes have been so thoroughly established through usage and common consent.  Space does not permit a discussion of this point, but the chief aim is consummated if the existence of an expressiveness and impressiveness of light is established.  There are many other symbolisms of color and light which have arisen in various ways but it is far beyond the scope of this book to discuss them.

Psychological investigations reveal many interesting facts pertaining to the influence of light and color upon mankind.  When choosing color for color’s sake alone, that is, divorced from any associations of usage, mankind prefers the pure colors to the tints and shades.  It is interesting to note that this is in accord with the preference exhibited by uncivilized beings in their use of colors for decorating themselves and their surroundings.  Civilized mankind chooses tints and shades predominantly to live with, that is, for the decoration of his surroundings.  However, civilized man and the savage appear to have the same fundamental preference for pure colors and apparently culture and refinement are responsible for their difference in choice of colors to live with.  This is an interesting discovery and it has its applications in lighting, especially in spectacular and stage-lighting.