The history of art in colour: Red

Red is the oldest colour. Though its tones range from the earthy reds of animals depicted on cave walls to the fiery reds of contemporary artwork – red is unquestionably an emotionally intense color. We think of the flames of passion, the heat of anger and the flashing red of a warning sign. Red is the color of flushed cheeks revealing embarrassment, fury, excitement. 

10 masterpieces of art in which Red is used

Let’s discover 10 masterpieces of art history in which it is the protagonist.

1. Saint Jerome and John the Baptist by Masaccio
2. Portrait of a Man by Antonello da Messina
3. Deposition by Michelangelo
4. Portrait of Pope Julius II by Raphael
5. Lady in Red by Moroni
6. Samson and Delilah by Rubens
7. Venus Rokeby by Velazquez
8. Degas’ Hairstyle
9. Malevic’s Red Square
10. No 46 by Rothko

The History of Art in Color: Green

Green is the most slippery of colors. On the one hand, it is associated with a new life – spring leaves for birth. On the other, it has opposite associations, evil and unattractive. It can suggest nausea and symbolize jealousy; may allude to poison because arsenic was used in the creation of green paints. 

Early pigments made from natural and organic materials darkened over time and so it’s no wonder it was associated with treachery and with characters such as Judas, often shown in green.

10 masterpieces of art history in which he is the protagonist:

1. Portrait of Mr and Mrs Arnolfini
2. St George and the Dragon by Paolo Uccello
3. Holbein’s Ambassadors
4. Watteau’s Ladder of Love Mr
5. and Mrs Andrews by Gainsborough
6. Winter Landscape by Friedrich
7. Wheatfield by Constable
8. Surprised! by Rosseau
9. Monet’s Water Lily Pond
10. Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Frida’s Hummingbird

Art History in Color: Gold

Luxury, power, wealth – gold has embodied some or all of these meanings in art for thousands of years. It naturally reflects light, so it has always been thought to have something of the quality of the sun, which is an image of the divine, from the Egyptians down to the Christian saints.

And even when the artists replaced the gold leaf with a varnish, they strove to replicate the radiant effect and the traditional associations remained. Gold has proven irresistible ever since humans first laid eyes on it. 

10 masterpieces of art history in which she is the protagonist:

1. Wilton Diptych
2. Portrait of a Woman by Baldovinetti
3. Family of Dario del Veronese
4. Adoration of the Golden Calf by Poussin
5. Feast of Baldassarre by Rembrandt
6. Psyche and the Sisters by Fragonard
7. Portrait of the Duke of Wellington by Goya
8. The valiant Téméraire by Turner
9. Sunflowers by Van Gogh
10. Klimt’s Kiss

The history of art in colour: Blue

Blue is the color of desire. Found only in the untouchable and farthest depths, it is the color of the sky and the deep sea. It is everywhere around us and somehow always out of reach. This elusive quality may partly explain his fascination for artists. When wanting to suggest the divine, blue is the color of choice. It is the color of experiences that lie beyond the ordinary: the intangible, the inaccessible. At the same time, it is the color of wealth and luxury. 

So let’s discover 10 masterpieces of art history in which she is the protagonist:

1. The Annunciation by Duccio
2. The Virgin of the Rocks by Leonardo
3. Doge Leonardo Loredan by Bellini
4. Bacchus and Ariadne by Titian
5. Embarkation of the Queen of Sheba by Claude Lorrain
6. Regatta on the Grand Canal by Canaletto
7. In boat on the Seine by Renoir
8. La Celestina by Picasso
9. Lake Keitele by Kallela
10. RE19 by Klein