The color blue has a rich and varied cultural history spanning thousands of years. Despite being one of the primary colors, blue was slow to gain prominence and has the most complex symbolic meaning of all colors. However, it eventually became associated with many important symbols, traditions, and values.
Early History and Significance
In ancient history, blue was a very rare and difficult pigment to produce, which limited its early symbolic meaning and usage. The earliest known use of blue pigments was in prehistoric cave paintings, where ground azurite and lapis lazuli provided the vivid blue colors. However, due to the rarity of these minerals, blue was very expensive for ancient civilizations to produce and did not have widespread use.
In ancient Egypt, blue gained importance and represented both the sky and the life-giving annual floods of the Nile river. Egyptians used blue extensively in tomb paintings and to decorate objects they believed would accompany kings and nobles into the afterlife. The rare and expensive lapis lazuli became closely associated with royalty and power.
Similarly in the ancient Near East, lapis lazuli was considered even more valuable than gold. It was imported from Afghanistan and used to decorate ancient Mesopotamian royal tombs, temples, and sculpture. The ancient Hebrews also adopted the Near Eastern use of blue to represent divinity and authority.
Classical Antiquity
During classical antiquity, new blue pigments began entering the Mediterranean world through trade, allowing more extensive use of the color.
| Blue Pigment | Source |
|---|---|
| Egyptian blue | Man-made synthetic pigment first used in 3rd millennium BCE Egypt |
| Han blue | Man-made synthetic pigment first used in Ancient China |
| Indigo dye | Imported from India |
| Ultramarine | Made from lapis lazuli imported from Afghanistan |
In ancient Greece, blue was used to represent the sea, the sky, and harmony. Homeric epics described the sea as wine-dark. Blue was also associated with the wisdom of Athena, virginity, and femininity because of its rarity and delicacy. The Romans held many similar associations, linking blue to Jupiter, the sky, and victory.
Asia
Because blue dyes and pigments remained very expensive, blue carried associations of wealth and power across many Asian cultures. Blue-glazed ceramics were developed in China during the Tang dynasty and blue-painted porcelain became prized across the region. In Chinese culture, blue represents immortality, wisdom, and calmness.
Blue was also symbolically important in Hinduism, with gods like Vishnu and Krishna commonly portrayed with blue skin. The vibrant blue indigo dye was used to color the robes of Hindu priests and worshippers. Blue is also an important color in Buddhism, representing wisdom and openness.
Middle Ages
During the Middle Ages in Europe, blue was revered as a noble and luxurious color, alongside purple and scarlet. The expensive ultramarine pigment, made from grinding lapis lazuli, was frequently reserved for depicting the Virgin Mary. However, blue dye was still costly, so blue clothing was worn only by the nobility who could afford it. The wider use of cheaper plant-based blue dyes developed over the Late Middle Ages.
Blue was particularly associated with France at this time, since French monarchs preferred blue cloaks to assert their status. The individual colors of medieval coats of arms were also imbued with meaning, with blue representing loyalty and faithfulness.
Renaissance to 19th Century
During the Renaissance, artists began to paint wider outdoor vistas and use blues to portray distance. The Virgin Mary was increasingly depicted wearing blue robes. Navy blue became popular as a bright, contrasting fashion color alongside white.
Several European monarchs made blue their official national color during the 17th and 18th centuries, including the Queen of Sweden and King George II of England. In the 18th century, blue also became associated with the young democratic revolutions in the United States and France and took on more modern symbolism of liberty, equality, and brotherhood.
Over the 19th century, new synthetic blue dyes and pigments were developed alongside the chemical industry, making vivid blues in clothing, art, and home decoration much more available. The Impressionists expanded the artistic use of blues to capture light and atmosphere.
20th Century
In the 20th century, blue became firmly established as one of the most popular colors in the world. Many significant symbols gained blue colorings, including the Western uniforms in WWI, the United Nations flag, and the European Union flag. Blue jeans became an iconic casual fashion worn worldwide.
Blue expanded its symbolic meanings to include calmness, trust, wisdom, confidence, and intelligence. Corporations like IBM, AT&T, Ford, Pepsi, and Microsoft embraced blue in their logos and brand imagery. Therapists began recommending “blue rooms” for relaxation. New genres like blues and jazz music also took their names from the color’s connotations.
The development of color television and film also expanded blue’s artistic use to control moods. Picasso, Matisse, the Expressionists, and Abstract artists pushed the boundaries of how blues could represent human emotions and interpretation of reality.
Conclusion
After humble beginnings, the cultural history of blue shows its evolution into one of the most versatile, symbolic, and commercially successful colors. The many shades of blue will likely continue to gain new cultural meanings and stand at the forefront of art, fashion, design, and visual media.