The Bauhaus may bring to mind geometric forms, sharp outlines and primary colors. But behind them lies a philosophy that treats form and color as “a language of emotion”.
This time we present a chart that symbolizes that Bauhaus thinking: “Elementary Means of Expression in the Visual Arts”.
Last updated: October 21, 2026
What the chart means
The color chart
The chart has 3 rows and 2 columns. The horizontal axis shows negative (−) and positive (+), and the vertical axis shows value (light, medium, dark).
| value | Negative (−) | Positive (+) |
|---|---|---|
| Light | White | Yellow |
| Medium | Gray | Red-orange |
| Dark | Black | Blue |
The “emotions” of color
Colors & emotions
These 6 colors are not just colors; they symbolize emotions and states.
- White (−): emptiness, coldness, loneliness
- Yellow (+): light, hope, brightness
- Gray (−): apathy, boredom, stagnation
- Red-orange (+): vitality, warmth, passion
- Black (−): darkness, oppression, anxiety
- Blue (+): calm, reassurance, depth
The left side shows introverted, yin-like, restrained emotions, and the right side extroverted, yang-like, active ones.
The use of color proposed by the Bauhaus
Colors in the Bauhaus school
Charts like this were used in the Bauhaus preliminary course (Vorkurs). Teachers such as Johannes Itten, Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee used them to give students a direct feel for the relationship between color and emotion.
Color is not mere decoration but a “tool” that moves the emotions, and they believed it could be mastered through training.
A reinterpretation for today
Reinterpretation in modern times
This chart may be 100 years old, but it still reminds us of the basic idea that “what we see moves our emotions”.
The next time you come across yellow, deep blue, take a moment to feel what “mood” it is speaking to you.
Design is not just what you see, but what you feel through what you see.
