This short monograph explores the intersection of philosophy and painting, examining how major thinkers from Hegel to Merleau-Ponty developed key concepts through their engagement with specific artworks. Unlike traditional surveys, my book focuses on philosophers' ideas as they emerged from concrete encounters with paintings, offering both scholars and general readers fresh insight into philosophical thought. By analysing these interactions, the book illuminates the often-overlooked connection between visual art and abstract reasoning, tracing the evolution of philosophical ideas through tangible, visual experiences. This approach not only bridges aesthetics with other philosophical branches but also presents a unique contribution to the history of ideas, demonstrating how painting has shaped philosophical thoughts. Ultimately, this work provides a novel perspective on familiar philosophical concepts, revealing the profound influence of art on intellectual history.

This monograph explores the relationship between philosophy and painting, showing how thinkers such as Hegel and Merleau-Ponty developed their key concepts through direct engagement with specific artworks. Unlike traditional surveys that often treat philosophical ideas as abstract, Colors of the Concepts: Philosophers on Paintings emphasises how these ideas were shaped by concrete encounters with visual art. Each chapter discusses how the philosophical frameworks of these thinkers were influenced by their experiences with paintings, uncovering the often-overlooked link between visual art and philosophical thought.

By examining the work of eight major philosophers, the book traces how visual experiences contributed to the development of their ideas, offering new insights into the history of philosophy. The approach taken in this monograph bridges aesthetics with other branches of philosophy, such as metaphysics, epistemology and ethics, demonstrating how visual art has influenced the course of intellectual history. This method not only highlights the importance of painting in philosophical discourse but also shows how visual art has shaped abstract reasoning.

Colors of the Concepts provides a fresh perspective on familiar philosophical ideas by revealing the significant role that painting has played in their development. The book offers both scholars and general readers a chance to explore the deep connection between visual art and philosophical thought, underscoring the ongoing relevance of these engagements with art in contemporary discussions of aesthetics and the broader history of ideas.