The Origin of Red in Art
From the earliest art to later works, I will discuss cultures and individuals who used the color red in its many shades.
The Lascaux cave paintings in France predate Egyptian civilization, and the ochre (iron oxide) used on the walls are 17,000-22,000 years old.
Because of the protective power of 'red', the Egyptian god Osiris of the underworld was known as the "lord of the red cloth" (from "Book of the Dead").
Egyptian pharaoh King Tut (1343-1323 BC) was buried with jewelry,
furniture, and golden mask for his afterlife which were inlayed with red glass.
Four (4) mini coffins containing Tutankhamun's internal organs were decorated with red colored glass and carnelian.
The color red can represent blood, fire, death, or fertility.
The color of bright orange-red, cinnabar was used by the Chinese in 4000 BCE in paintings as did the Romans later.
From the Phoenician city of Tyre comes Tyrian purple from sea snails, reddish purple or deep blush. The Phoenician civilization dates from 1550 BCE- 300 BCE.
In South America in 1000 BCE, predating ancient Greece, the artisans from Peru used iron earth and red lead on cotton fibers for their textiles.
Beginning in 530 BCE in ancient Greece, we see the red-figure pottery where the clay vessel is painted black, allowing for the figures to emerge from the red or orange clay base.
Cinnabar, described as an inorganic mineral pigment, was known by the ancient Greeks and used by ancient Turkey in ceramics and on their walls.
Armenian cochineal was used as red pigment for illuminating manuscripts by monks during the Middle Ages (550-1500 AD).
Subtropical Mexico and South America used the pigment cochineal. Obtained from this large insect, thus an abundant supply was available. With its deep crimson color and ease of use, it was used by the Andean dyers in Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador before the Spanish conquest of 1520.
The Aztecs made flattened cakes of dried insects mixed with clay or flour for the purpose of sale or transport.
Madder, an orange-red dye used in Europe, Mesopotamia, and Asia was also used by early Greek and Romans on ceramic figurines and vessels.
Heartwoods from Southeast Asia, Africa, and South America produced purplish-red dye.
From the 17th century, cochineal from South and Central America spread across Europe. Rembrandt may have used Mexican cochineal, valued for its transparency, used in glazes.
Vincent van Gogh used red lake paints based on cochineal. Because of its light sensitivity, the purple flowers of his "Field with Irises near Arles" (1888) lack the red pigment and are now blue in color.
The Lascaux cave paintings in France predate Egyptian civilization, and the ochre (iron oxide) used on the walls are 17,000-22,000 years old.
Because of the protective power of 'red', the Egyptian god Osiris of the underworld was known as the "lord of the red cloth" (from "Book of the Dead").
Egyptian pharaoh King Tut (1343-1323 BC) was buried with jewelry,
furniture, and golden mask for his afterlife which were inlayed with red glass.
Four (4) mini coffins containing Tutankhamun's internal organs were decorated with red colored glass and carnelian.
The color red can represent blood, fire, death, or fertility.
The color of bright orange-red, cinnabar was used by the Chinese in 4000 BCE in paintings as did the Romans later.
From the Phoenician city of Tyre comes Tyrian purple from sea snails, reddish purple or deep blush. The Phoenician civilization dates from 1550 BCE- 300 BCE.
In South America in 1000 BCE, predating ancient Greece, the artisans from Peru used iron earth and red lead on cotton fibers for their textiles.
Beginning in 530 BCE in ancient Greece, we see the red-figure pottery where the clay vessel is painted black, allowing for the figures to emerge from the red or orange clay base.
Cinnabar, described as an inorganic mineral pigment, was known by the ancient Greeks and used by ancient Turkey in ceramics and on their walls.
Armenian cochineal was used as red pigment for illuminating manuscripts by monks during the Middle Ages (550-1500 AD).
Subtropical Mexico and South America used the pigment cochineal. Obtained from this large insect, thus an abundant supply was available. With its deep crimson color and ease of use, it was used by the Andean dyers in Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador before the Spanish conquest of 1520.
The Aztecs made flattened cakes of dried insects mixed with clay or flour for the purpose of sale or transport.
Madder, an orange-red dye used in Europe, Mesopotamia, and Asia was also used by early Greek and Romans on ceramic figurines and vessels.
Heartwoods from Southeast Asia, Africa, and South America produced purplish-red dye.
From the 17th century, cochineal from South and Central America spread across Europe. Rembrandt may have used Mexican cochineal, valued for its transparency, used in glazes.
Vincent van Gogh used red lake paints based on cochineal. Because of its light sensitivity, the purple flowers of his "Field with Irises near Arles" (1888) lack the red pigment and are now blue in color.
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