A History of Red
To celebrate Valentine’s Day and the launch of our popping new Berry shade, we take a look back at the long and fascinating history of the colour red.
Red is one of the earliest paint colours known to man. Archaeological evidence from around 100,000 years ago shows that early humans applied a red pigment to the bodies of the dead, possibly symbolising life, fertility, or the power of rebirth.
Some of the earliest examples of red as decoration date back over 40,000 years, with the discovery of red handprints in the El Castillo cave in Spain and red animal depictions in the Lascaux caves of France. Early man used a clay based pigment derived from iron oxide to create a reddish-ochre colour which they then smeared onto their cave walls.
Ancient Civilizations
The ancient Egyptians were among the first to exploit the full potential of red pigments, using them in their art and architecture. They mixed red ochre with other minerals to create a vibrant range of reds, from pale pinks to deep, intense burgundies. We also have a very clear understanding of the complex symbolism around red within Ancient Egyptian culture. Red symbolised both creation and destruction, the power of life and the violence of death through its representations of the life bringing sun-god Ra versus their god of chaos and destruction, Set - both of whom were depicted with red skin.
The ancient Greeks and Romans continued to build on these conflicting and complementary associations. Red in classical antiquity was often linked with military power, honour, prestige and victory. Roman generals celebrated their triumphs by wearing bright red cloaks. At the same time, it was linked with passion, love and desire, often appearing in depictions of the Greek goddess of love Aphrodite.
Red was also hugely significant in Asia, particularly in early China which began weaving and dying silk as early as 200BC. It was considered an ‘imperial’ colour and used to decorate palaces, temples and royal carriages.
The Middle Ages and Renaissance
During the Middle Ages, red continued to hold significant cultural and religious meanings.
In Christian iconography, the colour red symbolised the blood of Christ, as well as his suffering and passion. The red robe worn by Christ in religious paintings was a symbol of his suffering and passion. Likewise, the red blood of saints and martyrs reinforced the colour's association with divine sacrifice and redemption. As the Italian Renaissance got underway, artists such as Titian and Raphael used luminous and daring shades of red in their paintings to highlight their own skills as well as celebrate the religious figures they were painting.
The use of red was also prominent in royal and aristocratic wardrobes. Red dyes were so laborious and time intensive to produce – and therefore expensive – that red clothes were considered to be the most conspicuous way to signal your wealth and importance.
The Chinese emperors of the Song dynasty were painted in vibrant red robes, as was Queen Elizabeth I a few centuries later.
The 16th and 17th Centuries
The discovery of new red pigments by the Spanish colonialists transformed trade routes and fabric production across the world. The red dyes they brought home were brighter and more stable than traditional European dyes and led to a boom in the fashion industry. Red become suddenly more affordable and was taken on by traders and bankers to signal their success.
The Industrial Revolution and Modern Times
As the Industrial Revolution progressed, new synthetic dyes and pigments were developed – making mass produced synthetic reds affordable and accessible to the wider population.
Red also took on strong political meanings, especially around working class ideological movements. It came to be the colour of the French of radicals and protestors during the Revolution – it was even used to paint the guillotines during the Reign of Terror.
It remained the colour most associated with revolution and was used to symbolise the blood of those who died in the struggle for freedom. It continued to be used in France by the Workers Unions during the violent unrest of the Paris Commune in 1871 and was later adopted by the Communists both in China and in the Soviet Union, featuring prominently on their flags and state symbols.
Interestingly, colour also started to become associated with emotions for the first time along with the study of colour psychology. In 1888 the artist Vincent van Gogh wrote to his brother Theo "I sought to express with red and green the terrible human passions” and Henri Matisse went as far as to say that “a certain red affects your blood pressure”.
Henri Matisse Le Dessert Harmony in Red
Red in the Contemporary World
Red continues to be a hugely influential colour today. With the rise of global consumerism, red is often used in advertising to evoke urgency, excitement, or passion. Brands such as Lego, NetFlix and Ferrari use red in their logos to capture attention and convey energy… whilst Coca Cola went as far as rebranding Father Christmas from green to red in the mid 1930s.
It is used around the world as the colour for danger and “stop” but also continues to carry deep emotional weight. In China, red remains the colour of their flag and the Chinese Communist Party as well as symbolising good luck and prosperity - it is used in weddings and other celebratory occasions. Across the world it is associated with love and romance, with Valentine’s Day being awash with red roses and love hearts.
There’s so much more we could say about this incredible colour and its use over the centuries. We feel like we’ve barely scratched the surface. Suffice it to say that we’re thrilled to be adding “Berry” to our geometrics collections – it’s our little homage to a very illustrious history.
Our very modern and very very Berry shade is now available on the website as Arc, Signal and Plain Sailing tiles!
