The authoress analysed those idioms from poems of J. B. Zaleski that contain at least one element connected with colour. The linguistic analysis of the text aimed to characterise the language of the poet and to compare idioms from XIX and XX century. Idioms provide information about stereotypes, also those connected with colours. Simile idioms (the term still discussed among linguists) vividly underline intensity of a feature (white as dove 'bialy jak golab'; white as snow 'bialy jak snieg'). The study showed that Zaleski often modified traditional form of idioms and some of them were of biblical or mythological origin.