The history of colours

Prehistory: earth pigments
The story begins in dark caves. Thousands of years ago, our ancestors created the earliest works of art using materials provided by nature.

• Red and yellow: The oldest pigments in the world are earth colours. Red and yellow ochre, derived from iron-rich rock, brought colour to the initial cave paintings.
• Black and grey: Black was produced from charred wood (charcoal) or soot. Combining this black pigment with white chalk or clay yielded the first grey tones.

Antiquity: luxury, status and toxicity
With the emergence of major civilisations such as ancient Egypt, Rome and Persia, colour evolved from a simple tool into a potent status symbol.

• Blue: Lapis lazuli, a gemstone mined exclusively in the mountains of Afghanistan, produced the deepest blue. More valuable than gold, it was worn by monarchs and the elite.
• Turquoise: In Egypt and Persia, this gemstone was crafted into jewellery and amulets to ward off evil.
• Purple: The renowned Tyrian purple was the most expensive dye of antiquity. Crushing thousands of murex snails was required to yield a single gram of pigment. Its use was reserved strictly for Roman emperors and high-ranking clergy.
• Green: Green was manufactured from copper-bearing minerals such as malachite, representing fertility and spring. However, many early green pigments suffered from a major drawback: they faded rapidly or proved highly toxic.

The Middle Ages and the Renaissance: symbolism and trade
During the Middle Ages, colour acquired distinct societal significance, with symbolism dictating who could wear specific hues.

• Yellow: While yellow symbolised divinity in antiquity, it acquired negative connotations during the Middle Ages, becoming associated with treachery and envy. From the late medieval period onwards, artists frequently utilised vibrant (though toxic) lead-tin yellow.
• Indigo: Extracted from the indigo plant in India and China, this deep blue dye developed into one of the world's primary trade commodities, laying the foundation for global commerce routes.
• Brown: Brown became indispensable during the Renaissance. Painters conferred depth upon their canvases using pigments such as umber (rich in iron and manganese) and burnt bone. It represented the earth as well as humility; monks wore simple grey and brown habits as a mark of austerity.

The Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries: the chemical revolution
Until the eighteenth century, colour production remained an artisanal and often unpleasant task. Scientific progress, however, altered everything.

• Pink: In eighteenth-century Europe, pink was regarded as a strong, masculine colour worn frequently by aristocratic men. Only later did its association shift towards femininity.
• Burgundy: This deep red shade derives its name from the famed French wine region. It became a favoured colour for luxury evening wear and winter textiles.
• Magenta: In 1859, French chemist François-Emmanuel Verguin discovered the first synthetic dye derived from coal tar. He named the vivid pink shade magenta, after the Battle of Magenta fought that same year.

The Industrial Revolution enabled the large-scale manufacture of synthetic dyes. Colour was no longer restricted to the elite; it became accessible to all.