An Ode to Rapturous Red
A history of the alluring color
Ravishing, remarkable, rapturous red.
Raw as the flesh of a strawberry dripping down your chin.
Red, like a burning flame,
Sensual and fierce in its claim.
A hue of passion and desire,
It sets hearts and souls on fire.
A color of seduction and allure, of power and grace.
I love writing about ancient Greece and Rome, and their fashion is no exception. Interestingly, our association of the color red with love and passion is very ancient indeed. For both the Greeks and Romans, red was inextricably linked with love and beauty.
In Greek mythology, Aphrodite, the goddess of love, was often depicted wearing red robes. The Roman goddess Venus, who was the their version of Aphrodite, was also associated with the color red.
In ancient Greece and Rome, red was an it color for the upper classes. Because it was expensive to produce, those with wealth, power, and prestige gravitated toward it. Look at me! I can afford it!
A variety of natural dyes could create red hues, such as madder, a dye made from the roots of the madder plant, which was commonly used to dye clothing, particularly in ancient Greece. If only it wasn’t so expensive. Then everyone could have been walking around in gorgeous red robes.
In the ancient Mediterranean, red adorned jewelry and other decorative items. The Greeks used red stones such as carnelian and garnet in their jewelry, and the Romans used red glass and enamel in their decorative objects.
Red was also a symbol of victory and military power, particularly in the Roman army. Soldiers painted their shields and armor red, and both soldiers and their hotshot generals wore red clothing.
I’m going to guess that this military red was tied to the perception of red as a color of anger. In both Greek and Roman theater, actors used red masks to depict characters who were angry or experiencing strong emotions. Soldiers definitely would have wanted to capture that mood.
In Roman theater, red was also used to indicate a character’s social status, with lower-class characters wearing less red and upper-class characters wearing more red. Being in the Roman army instantly gave you higher status than an ordinary person walking the streets. Painting your military gear red could have been a way to express that pride.
Even the gods got in on the action. In frescoes and sculpture, artists painted the skin of the gods and goddesses red, as well as their clothing. I wonder why. Was it because red was the color of the rich and powerful on earth, so the gods, who were the most powerful of all, ought to be adorned in red, too?
Whatever the reason, the gods sure drowned in red. It was used in religious ceremonies and rituals and decorated temples. Contrary to public perception today, ancient temples and statues weren’t pure white. They just appear so to us because their paint wore off long ago. In ancient times, they weren’t white at all, but brightly painted in a variety of colors, including red.
Halfway across the globe, in ancient China, red was an auspicious and lucky color. It was associated with good fortune, happiness, and prosperity. (A beautiful take, instead of focusing on wealth and power like the Europeans did.) The Chinese also linked red to the elements of fire and the south, which was believed to be the direction of the gods.
One of the most notable ways that red was used in ancient China was in traditional Chinese weddings. Red was the main color used in weddings, and it was a symbol of love and happiness. Brides would wear red dresses, and red banners and decorations were used to decorate the wedding venue.
The use of red extended to religious and ceremonial contexts. It decorated temples and shrines, and statues of gods and goddesses were often painted red.
And beyond Greece, Rome, and China? Red was significant to so many cultures it’s hard to count them all.
We have no historical record of how the Mayans and Aztecs used red in fashion, but given its prominent place in their material culture, it almost certainly was used in clothing, too.
Red pops up in a variety of ways in Mayan and Aztec art, architecture, and religious practices. In Mayan art, red was a prominent color and was used to depict important figures such as rulers and gods. Mayan pottery and ceramics often featured red and black designs, and red pigment was also used to paint murals and frescoes. Red was also used in Mayan writing, where it was used to indicate important dates and events.
In Aztec art, red was also a prominent color, particularly in the form of cinnabar, a red pigment made from mercury. Aztec artists used cinnabar to create striking and vibrant reds in their art, such as in their codices and sculptures. Red feathers were highly valued and used in religious ceremonies and ritual.
In Mayan and Aztec architecture, red decorated temples and pyramids. It was associated with the sun and fire, and was used in religious ceremonies and rituals. The Mayans and Aztecs believed that the sun was nourished by human blood, and as such, red was often used as a symbol of blood and sacrifice.
The ancient Egyptians and medieval Europeans also held red in high esteem, though these cultures were separated by thousands of years. Both believed red to be a color fit for the clothing and jewelry of the wealthy and nobility.
And now we come to my beloved Renaissance. I was fascinated to learn that some of my favorite artists, including Titian, Raphael, and Rubens, used red in many of their paintings to create a sense of drama and passion.
Take a look at this painting by Titian, “The Assumption of the Virgin.” The red robes really grab your attention, right? That’s because Titian used an especially prized and expensive red pigment called vermilion, made from mercury and sulfur. (Very healthy for the artist to handle…) Vermilion is why you see striking and vibrant reds in many Renaissance paintings, and why these paintings express a kind of movement, passion, and depth that had never been seen before.
Real-life fashion in the Renaissance benefitted from these brilliant red colors just as fashion in paintings did. Red was popular in clothing and accessories, at least for the rich and powerful. The poor could not afford it.
Overall, the color red has a long and varied history, associated with power, love, luck, life, passion, wealth… What do you think of when you think of “red”?
Sources:
- Google Arts & Culture. https://artsandculture.google.com/story/the-secret-history-of-the-color-red/-wXxao99SLXVKg?hl=en
- My Modern Met. https://mymodernmet.com/shades-of-red-color-history/
Thanks for reading! Here are a couple more articles I’ve written for my new Medium publication, Fashion Police:
