Is mauve red-violet?

Is mauve red-violet?

Mauve is a pale purple color that has similarities to red-violet but also differences that set it apart. To understand if mauve truly qualifies as a red-violet shade, we need to examine the technical specifications of each color and look at how they are perceived by the human eye.

The Technical Specifications of Mauve

On a basic level, mauve is defined as a light purple or lilac color that takes its name from the mauve flower. The first synthetic mauve dye was created in 1856 and became very popular in Victorian fashion.

In technical terms, mauve is created by combining red and blue light, leaning slightly more towards red than blue on the color wheel. The specific hex code for mauve is #E0B0FF. This code tells us that mauve has:

– 228 (E0 in hex) parts of red light
– 176 (B0 in hex) parts of green light
– 255 (FF in hex) parts of blue light

So while mauve contains a decent amount of red, it actually has more blue than red. The additional green tones take mauve away from being a pure mix of red and blue.

Color	Red	Green	Blue
Mauve	228	176	255

The Technical Specifications of Red-Violet

Red-violet, sometimes called reddish purple, is a color directly between red and purple on the color wheel. It combines high amounts of red and high amounts of blue, with very little green.

The hex code for red-violet is #C71585. This contains:

– 199 (C7 in hex) parts of red
– 21 (15 in hex) parts of green
– 133 (85 in hex) parts of blue

So while red and blue are balanced, red edges out blue slightly in red-violet. The small amount of green distinguishes it from being a pure mix.

Color	Red	Green	Blue
Red-Violet	199	21	133

Comparing the Technical Specifications

When we compare the technical specs side by side, we can see some clear differences:

Color	Red Value	Green Value	Blue Value
Mauve	228	176	255
Red-Violet	199	21	133

The key differences are:

– Mauve has more blue (255) than red (228), while red-violet has more red (199) than blue (133).

– Mauve has a much higher amount of green (176) compared to red-violet (21).

So technically speaking, red-violet has more in common with pure red and purple, while mauve diverges with its higher green level.

How the Human Eye Perceives Mauve vs Red-Violet

Technical specifications only tell part of the story when distinguishing color shades. The human perception of color also plays a key role. Let’s examine how mauve and red-violet each appear to the eye.

Mauve has a soft, muted appearance that instills a feeling of gentleness, romance, and nostalgia. It lacks the boldness of a pure vivid purple. Red-violet, on the other hand, is an eye-catching, electrifying color that pops from the page. It has a vibrancy that mauve lacks.

So while mauve is certainly purple, most would not describe it as a vivid or intense purple. Red-violet, however, delivers the vivid purplish tone that mauve does not have. When you want a color that is unambiguously red-purple, red-violet fits the bill in a way that mauve does not.

Summary of Differences

To recap the key differences between mauve and red-violet:

	Mauve	Red-Violet
Hex Code	#E0B0FF	#C71585
Red Value	228	199
Green Value	176	21
Blue Value	255	133
Primary Color	Blue	Red
Appearance	Soft, muted	Vivid, electrifying

Conclusion

Based on an analysis of the technical specifications and human color perception, mauve does not qualify as a true red-violet. While it contains elements of red and purple, it diverges with its higher green value and its muter, softer appearance. Mauve sits between red-violet and light purple on the color wheel rather than matching the vivid intensity of true red-violet.

So in summary, while mauve has overlap with red-violet, there are enough key differences that set the two colors apart. Mauve is best categorized as a soft, light purple rather than a bold red-violet. When describing color shades precisely, it is important to recognize mauve and red-violet as distinct hues.