Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Perceptions of Purple

While creating a purple iris painting, my mind went back to color theory class and the story of purple. The dye came from a snail. (It's amazing to me that anyone would figure how to do that... perhaps a tiny milking stool...)It was, like gold, considered rare and valuable. Therefore, it was the color worn exclusively by royalty.

Since royalty often took on the dual role of secular and spiritual leaders, purple came to be associated with spirituality. Interestingly, these perceptions of purple were not only the case for Western Europe, but also for Egypt, Persia and even as far back in history as Phoenicia and the Minoans. (Phoenicia is Greek for land of the purple.)

Over the years, other sources for the dye and even synthetic purple were created. This made purple dye more available.
Today, in our world of marketing, purple with its mix of red warmth and blue coolness is considered to be exciting yet calming.

What do you think about when you see or wear purple? What associations do you make when you think of purple?

8 comments:

  1. Now that I think about it, I really like purple. I should own more purple clothes but alas I also like green and blue... Mae

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  2. Remember the ads, "Better Living Through Chemistry" ads? They're pretty scary in hindsight, what with all the unintended consequences we live and die with. That said, my favorite interpretation was/is with regard to textiles and clothing. Alarge percentage of people on earth now can and may wear colors, sparkles and such that may have got you beheaded or burned at the stake back in the days of sumputary laws-not so long ago in human history. Never mind painting your bedroom or entire building purple or red! Carol

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  3. I love purple. MAR

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  4. "A tiny milking stool" ?????? FAB

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  5. Ummm Grape Juice! Amethyst! Sugilite! and purple cows, oops I may have gone too far....
    Britt

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  6. Thank you that was very interesting. I think of purple as a female color, also associate it with spiritual things. Connie

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  7. Interesting responses. What's Sugilite? RA

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