Color quantity contrast in Itten’s Theory: Spectrophotometry for verifying statements. Il contrasto di quantità nella Teoria di Itten: la spettrofotometria per la verifica degli enunciati

Colour quantity contrast originates from the quantitative ratio of two or more colours and no color stands out more than another if such report is balanced. Considering how the intensity parameter, defined as the brightness refers to a gray background of medium brightness, the values of the mutual relations between primary and secondary colours of subtractive synthesis: yellow: purple: blue: orange: red: green, reported by Itten that are attributed to Goethe are in order: 9:8:6:3:4:6. It is worth mentioning in this context that a detailed research on this matter leaves rather suppose that the authorship of these values is attributed to Schopenhauer. He however did not base its considerations on the intensity but the amount of energy that reaches the retina of the viewer. The study had as main objective the verification of this statement concerning the relationship between the three primary and three secondary subtractive synthesis colours through the specification of the colour using the spectrophotometric method. The results have confirmed what was expected in terms of quality of performance values of mutual relations of the six colours but showed a quantitative difference than the sestina, 9:8:6:3:4:6, reported by Itten.