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THE VIBRANT HISTORY OF THE ANCIENT COLOR RED

Published: 2025-12-01 17:55:09 Last Updated: 2025-12-02 09:03:59

Red is not only one of the main colours, but it's also one of the first colours utilised by artists, dating back to prehistory. Ranging from orange tinges to rich wine tones, throughout history, the colour red has held unique significance for nations around the world. The warm colour is most usually linked with love in Western culture and remains a beautiful, lively colour that immediately calls attention to itself.
In many civilisations, red signifies joy and good fortune. In fact, red is worn by brides as a lucky charm and fertility symbol in many Asian nations. Red came to be associated with the clergy and aristocracy in Europe. Its relationship with the blood of Christ made it exceptionally essential for the Catholic church, so much so that the cardinal was named after the colour that Roman Catholic cardinals customarily wore.
Pervasive in art and textiles from ancient times, the colour red is powerful and renowned. Let's examine some of the most significant red hues in art and discover more about the colour's intriguing past. And if you are looking to delve in-depth, Red: The History of a Colour provides a detailed look at all things red.

The mineral hematite gives clay its red colour, which is one of the earliest types of red. In fact, evidence has been revealed that individuals in the Late Stone Age were crushing red ochre to paint their bodies. Red, along with white and black, was one of the few hues used by artists in the Palaeolithic epoch, as it was abundantly available in nature. Early examples of red ochre paintings can be seen in the prehistoric cave paintings at Altamira, Spain, which were created between 15000 and 16500 BC.

Red was also popular in ancient China, with early examples of black-and-red pottery dating to 5000-3000 BC. Traces of red ochre were even uncovered on a painter’s palette inside the tomb of King Tut in Egypt.

Fun Fact: Women in ancient Egypt used red ochre as a cosmetic to tint their cheeks and lips. During celebrations, people would dye their bodies with the pigment. In Egyptian culture, red held connections with life, health, and victory. Additionally, wall paintings frequently employed this pigment.

This red fluctuates in tone from blazing scarlet to deep brick and is called after the mineral from which it’s made. This mercuric sulfide is exceedingly hazardous, but has been used since the time of the Egyptians. The vivid colour was preferred by Ancient Romans, who employed it widely in ornamentation. Examples can still be seen in the wall art of Pompeii. In fact, cinnabar was more expensive during the Roman era than Egyptian blue and red ochre from Africa. Cinnabar was also widely employed in carved Chinese lacquerware starting in the 12th century. In ancient times, vermilion colours were created from cinnabar. This shouldn’t be confused with later paints also called vermilion.

Fun fact: In Roman times, most cinnabar originated from mines near Almadén in Spain. (Unfortunately, the labourers were usually convicts and slaves who were compelled to work in the highly poisonous atmosphere.)

It’s assumed that the Chinese were the first to make synthetic vermilion, probably as early as the 4th century BC. The resultant paint, which was brought to Europe by Arab alchemists, was utilised widely by Renaissance painters, particularly Titian, who was famed for his layering of the dazzling colour. While the pigment is normally bright orange-red, one known fault is that it tends to darken over time, becoming a dark purplish-brown. Vermilion remained the most common red pigment during the 20th century, until its toxicity and expense prompted most artists to switch to Cadmium red. Because of its significance, vermilion is referred to as "Chinese red" in China.

Fun fact: Synthetic vermilion was just as expensive as gold leaf throughout the Middle Ages. Thus, it was used only for the most significant features of illuminated manuscripts, while less costly red lead was utilised for red letters inside the text.

The next red is called Crimson. The dried carcasses of female kermes are used to create this intense crimson hue with a hint of purple. These scale insects were commercially harvested to make paints and dyes because they feed on the sap of evergreen oaks. Crimson, manufactured out of kermes, fell out of favour with the arrival of crimson lake—or carmine—which is produced by the cochineal. This was partially because achieving the cochineal's colour intensity required twelve times as many kermes.

As with all lake pigments, carmine is created from biological materials, as opposed to minerals utilised in hues like ultramarine or vermilion. When Spanish conquistadors saw the vivid reds employed by the Aztecs in the early 16th century, the pigment—which is derived from cochineal, tiny scale insects that dwell on cacti—made its way to Europe. Carmine made a magnificent, rich crimson that was employed by practically all of the great 15th and 16th-century artists. Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Velázquez are only some of the painters who employed carmine to obtain a rich crimson tint. However, because the pigment can change colour when exposed to light, it must be utilised carefully.

Red lead, or minium, is another highly hazardous substance that may have first been created by the Chinese during the Han era. In fact, it’s considered one of the first synthetic pigments, as it’s manufactured by roasting white lead pigment. The white lead would turn more orange-red the longer it was burned. Less expensive than pigment manufactured from cinnabar, it was commonly employed in Medieval manuscripts, as well as Persian and Indian miniature art.

Red lead was a popular colour that Vincent van Gogh frequently used in his paintings. Unfortunately, the crimson in his paintings fades because minium eventually becomes whiter when exposed to light. In the 20th century, cadmium red gained popularity and was made commercially available in 1910. The hue of natural vermilion, cadmium red, is noted for its colour-fastness. Henri Matisse was a particular enthusiast of the vividly colored pigment and was the first major painter to employ it in his artwork. Despite the fact that the pigment's levels of cadmium sulfide are not particularly hazardous, the European Union threatened to outlaw cadmium in 2014 due to worries that it might contaminate water supplies when artists washed their brushes. Fortunately, more investigation revealed that these concerns were baseless, and cadmium red is still a popular colour in many artists' palettes.

While many shades of red have long been prized in fashion, designer Christian Louboutin made Chinese Red—not to be confused with vermilion, which is also often called Chinese red—his preferred hue. In 1992, he launched his red-bottomed shoes, which immediately became his brand’s hallmark look. This very precise colour (Pantone 18-1663 TPX) became synonymous with the brand and inspired Louboutin to trademark his red soles in various countries. The designer's red-bottomed shoes are now seen as a symbol of elegance and luxury, and celebrities and members of the fashion elite frequently wear them to well-publicised events. It is now more than just a colour; it is a representation of style and riches.

Fun fact: Louboutin’s iconic crimson soles came about by accident. While working on a prototype, he thought it was lacking something. At that moment, he decided to paint the black soles of the shoes red after noticing an assistant painting her nails red.

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