Blue is one of the primary colors and it can be found everywhere in our daily lives. But why is blue such a popular color and what is the history and meaning behind it? Here we will explore the origins and evolution of the color blue throughout history.
The Science and Origins of Blue
On the electromagnetic spectrum, blue light has a wavelength of between 450 and 495 nanometers. The shorter wavelength means blue light has more energy compared to other colors.
In optics, blue is a primary subtractive color along with red and yellow. This means that when blue light hits an object, the object absorbs the blue wavelengths and reflects back the remaining colors which our eyes perceive as the object’s color.
The earliest origins of blue can be traced back to the very beginnings of life on Earth. The ocean and sky absorbed red wavelengths and reflected back blue, creating a predominant blue hue across the planet. Even today, the blue wavelengths in water absorb long red wavelengths, leaving behind short blue light.
For much of history, artificial blue dyes and pigments were extremely rare and difficult to produce. The ancient world had no real synthetic blue dyes and had to rely on minerals like lapis lazuli found in Afghanistan to produce a rich blue color.
Blue in Ancient History
With extremely limited access to blue dyes, the color held special meaning and symbolism in many ancient cultures.
In ancient Egypt, blue was associated with the sky and with the River Nile. Dark blue was the color of the night sky and represented creation and rebirth. Egyptians used blue for decoration in tombs and on jewelry to invoke these concepts.
The Sumerians, Babylonians, and Assyrians also connected blue with their deities. In Mesopotamian art, blue glazed bricks were used to represent the ocean and the heavens.
In China, blue-green colors symbolized the East, the season of Spring, and the element of wood. The color blue was also associated with immortality.
The ancient Greeks saw blue as a color of dark wine, indicating sophistication and celebration. But blue dyes were extremely rare in Ancient Greece. The Greeks classified colors by brightness rather than hue and did not have a specific word for the color blue.
The ancient Mayans produced blue pigment from indigo plants. Brilliant blue was seen as one of the most sacred and valuable colors to the Mayans, representing sacrifice.
In Hinduism, blue is associated with the fifth chakra and the throat. Dark blues are connected with nobility and wisdom.
So despite not having access to synthetic blue dyes, many ancient cultures valued the color blue for its connections to the natural world, spirituality, and nobility.
Making Blue Dyes
It was extremely challenging for ancient peoples to artificially produce blue dyes before the modern era. Here are some of the main methods used:
| Source | Method |
|---|---|
| Lapis lazuli | Grinding and extracting the minerals |
| Indigo plants | Processing and steeping the leaves |
| Woad leaves | Fermenting and dyeing with the leaves |
| Azurite copper minerals | Extracting and crushing the minerals |
Lapis lazuli, a deep blue semi-precious stone found in Afghanistan, was highly prized in the ancient world. Grinding up the stone produced a rich blue powder. But lapis lazuli was extremely rare and expensive.
Indigo dye comes from processing the leaves of indigo plants native to India and Asia. But extracting the blue indigo pigment required labor-intensive steeping and processing of huge volumes of leaves.
Woad leaves contain a yellow dye that can be converted to blue through a complex fermentation process. But again, massive quantities of leaves were needed to get enough blue dye.
Natural copper minerals like azurite could also produce blue pigments when crushed and extracted. However, deposits of these minerals were rare.
So while natural plant and mineral sources existed, producing blue dyes was extremely challenging before synthetic manufacturing. This made blue a highly prized and valuable color in the ancient world.
Blue in the Middle Ages
During the Middle Ages and Renaissance, blue pigments became more available in Europe but were still rare and expensive. The Catholic church helped boost the popularity of blue because of its religious associations.
Ultramarine blue made from lapis lazuli was highly desirable for ecclesiastical paintings and manuscripts. Its brilliance symbolized the immense power and nobility of God.
By the 12th century, an alternative blue pigment called azurite began to be used in Medieval painting. It produced a deep blue but was still challenging to grind and process.
During the European Renaissance, new trade routes to Asia made vivid blue indigo dye more available. A deep blue color became fashionable in aristocratic circles, favored by wealthy and noble families. Blue dyes were still extremely costly, so wearing blue signified status.
Blue glass objects also became popular in Renaissance Europe. Cobalt additives produced rich blue glass that was doubly precious due to the high cost of cobalt ore.
So in the Middle Ages and Renaissance, blue remained rare but grew in popularity and religious significance. Wearing and owning blue signified social status, wealth, and refined taste.
Advances in Synthetic Blues
The 18th and 19th centuries brought huge advances in synthesized blue dyes and pigments, helping make blue clothing more affordable and accessible:
| Year | Discovery |
|---|---|
| 1704 | Prussian blue pigment invented |
| 1776 | Synthetic ultramarine blue developed |
| 1828 | Artificial indigo dye created |
| 1868 | Aldehyde blue dye invented |
Prussian blue was the first modern synthetic blue pigment, accidentally created in 1704. It used affordable raw materials and massively expanded the availability of blue pigments for paints and dyes.
Artificial ultramarine was created in the 18th century and helped make vivid blue pigments more affordable, replacing costly natural ultramarine.
Synthetic indigo dyes were developed in the 19th century, allowing mass production of blue denim jeans and other clothing. Before this, indigo clothing was extremely expensive.
These inventions helped revolutionize the ubiquity of blue clothing and objects. Blue was no longer just for the wealthy elite but became available to the emerging middle class.
The Psychology and Meaning of Blue
Today blue is one of the most, if not the most, popular colors globally. Research shows blue has the following psychological effects:
- Calming – Blue lowers heart rate and blood pressure and has a relaxing effect.
- Trustworthy – Blue is associated with stability, reliability, and loyalty.
- Professional – Blue conveys competence and credibility in business contexts.
- Masculine – Darker blues are seen as a masculine color.
- Depressing – However, blue can also sometimes come across as cold or depressing.
Blue is ubiquitous around the world today. It represents tranquility, stability, technology, business, and masculinity. While interpretations vary by culture, blue generally evokes a calming, professional vibe.
Dark blue is the most loved color among men globally while women tend to prefer lighter and brighter blues. Blue is the color of social media giants Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Messenger.
In Western cultures, blue is commonly associated with feeling sad or depressed. Expressions like “singing the blues” refer to feeling down. Blue is used decoratively though to create serene and relaxed spaces.
So blue today conveys reliability and serenity while being able to sometimes come across as cold or somber depending on the shade and context.
Blue in Art and Fashion
As cheaper synthetic blue pigments became available, blue emerged as an important color in art and fashion:
- Jean art – In the late 19th century, blue became associated with jeans through brands like Levi’s. Blue denim became the uniform of rebels and workers.
- Impressionist art – Impressionist painters used new synthetic pigments like cobalt blue to capture light and atmosphere in their works.
- Jazz and blues music – The “blues” referred to a gloomy mood expressed through music by oppressed groups in the early 20th century.
- Corporate blue – Dark blue suits came to represent white-collar professions and corporate business attire in the 20th century.
- Blue screens – With the proliferation of TVs and computer monitors, bright blues became associated with screen technologies and digital interfaces.
From music to fashion to visual media, synthetic blues came to define cultural movements across the 20th century once cheaper dyes became available.
Conclusion
For much of human history, blue was an elusive color that could only be produced with great difficulty. The rarity and cost of blue made it a color associated with divine powers, nobility, and status.
It was only in the last few centuries that scientists developed synthetic blue dyes and pigments that could be mass produced. This democratized blue and made it a color for everyone.
Today blue is one of the most popular and commonly worn colors globally. It spans art, fashion, music, media, and corporate branding. Blue evokes feelings of stability, tranquility, technology, and masculinity.
So while blue was once unattainable, it is now ubiquitous worldwide. The history of blue reveals a color that transitioned from elite privilege to universal popularity through modern chemistry and manufacturing innovations.
