The Fundamental Colour Sensations in Man's Colour Sense

Abstract

RECOGNITION of colour is a process depending upon nerve impulses reaching the cerebral cortex; hence it cannot be overlooked that interpretation of the impulses is a cerebral function. At present it is believed that nerve fibres conduct only one form of impulse and that a different fibre is required for each separate sensory factor. The retina has to initiate nerve impulses corresponding to the pattern of the external world as well as the colours of the various objects. The merit of the trichromatic theory of colour vision is that the numbers of nerve fibres are reduced to three groups, one group for each 'fundamental' colour. The 'fundamental' colour is thus the sensation produced by impulses passing up one group of nerve fibres. The theory is based on the observation that all colours can be reproduced by the combination of three separate regions of the spectrum. The simplest acceptable assumption is that there are three sets of receptors, possibly two varieties of cones and one of rods.

The Fundamental Colour Sensations in Man's Colour Sense

By Gastaf F. Gothlin. (Kungl. Svenska Vetenskapsakademiens Handlingar, (3), 20, No. 7, 1–76.) (Stockholm: Almquist and Wiksells Boktryckeri A.-B., 1943.)