The color blue has fascinated humans for millennia, but when exactly did we first start describing and naming this brilliant hue? Blue is one of the primary colors and sits between green and violet on the visible spectrum. It ranges from the deep ultramarine of lapis lazuli to the pale blue of a spring sky. While blue is common in nature, high-quality blue pigments have historically been rare and valuable. As a result, the progression of blue through human culture is complex and enlightening.
Earliest Known Descriptions of Blue
The earliest known descriptions of the color blue come from Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. In ancient Egypt, blue was associated with the heavens, the gods, and protection. Egyptian art from as early as 2500 BC depicts blue pigments being produced from lapis lazuli, a semi-precious stone which was imported from Afghanistan. The ancient Egyptians had several words for the color blue which referred to specific blue pigments and dyes.
In nearby Mesopotamia, references to blue pigments date back to around 2500 BC. The ancient Sumerians distinguished the color blue from other colors and had a specific word for it in their language. Blue dyes were produced from indigo plants as well as lapis lazuli which was imported through trade networks. These early civilizations recognized blue as a distinct category of color and had the language to describe it.
Blue in Ancient Greece
By the 6th century BC, the ancient Greeks had developed a complex approach to color. Greek philosophers such as Democritus put forth an early theory that all colors derived from the mixing of four distinct hues. There was some debate around which colors were the four primaries, but Aristotle declared them to be green, red, metallic (gleaming), and purple or violet. Metallic could refer to yellow, gold or blue. This framework meant blue was considered one of the four colors from which all others derived.
The ancient Greeks also associated blue strongly with the sea. This is reflected in Homer’s epic poems the Iliad and Odyssey, where color is used symbolically. When referring to the ocean Homer uses words meaning the color of wine and violet. The ancient Greek word for blue is ‘kuaneos’ which refers to a dark blue enamel used in jewelry. While Greeks didn’t have a dedicated word for lighter blues, they still recognized it as a distinct color.
Chinese Civilization and Blue-Green
In ancient Chinese civilization, the most commonly used color term was qīng. This could refer to a range of cool hues ranging from blue to green. In early Chinese culture, blue and green were not distinguished as separate categories of color. The first Chinese dictionaries defined qīng as referring to the green-blue color of nature: the ocean, rivers, vegetation. It was seen as representing regeneration, vegetation and tranquility.
Over time qīng evolved to refer specifically to the color green. By the Tang Dynasty (618 – 906 AD) the Chinese had adopted the term lán to refer specifically to the color blue. By the 2nd century AD they were using the mineral lapis lazuli to produce a vivid blue pigment. Chinese culture came to associate blue with immortality, healing and timelessness.
Blue Pigment Challenges
While people have recognized and named the color blue for millennia, developing stable blue pigments proved challenging. Most early art used blue sparingly and often relied on natural plant dyes like indigo which could fade. Egyptian and Chinese civilizations did produce long-lasting blue from lapis lazuli, but the mineral was rare and difficult to mine.
It wasn’t until the early 19th century that synthetic blue pigments became widely available. The first was a cyan blue pigment known as Prussian blue, accidentally discovered in 1704 and commercialized in the 1720s. In 1802 cobalt blue, a stable deep blue pigment made from cobalt salts, entered mass production. Over the 19th century chemistry enabled all hues of vibrant blue paint to be inexpensively mass-produced and widely used by artists.
Blue in Ancient Religion
Blue held religious and symbolic significance in many ancient cultures. In ancient Egypt blue was associated with the gods and protection, with vivid lapis lazuli containing magical powers. In Chinese culture blue represented immortality and eternity. In Christianity, blue came to represent the earthly purity of the Virgin Mary. Beginning in the 12th century, Mary was depicted wearing blue robes to symbolize spirituality, humility and virtue.
Across many traditions blue has been associated with purity, spirituality and transcendence. While various cultures have evaluated the meaning and significance of blue differently, they shared the recognition of blue as a fundamental color.
Psychology of Blue
Modern psychology has studied how color influences human perception and behavior. Blue is considered one of the most widely favored colors. Research indicates that humans find clear, blue skies and blue water innately calming and comforting. The color blue has been found to slow heart rate and breathing, lower blood pressure and reduce anxiety.
Compared to warm colors like red, orange and yellow, blue is perceived as calm, cool and collected. Light blues give a sense of relaxation, intuition and patience. Darker shades are seen as more stable and professional. Studies show that blue fosters creativity and openness to new ideas. Blue’s long-standing association with tranquility and spirituality is grounded in human psychology and physiology.
Primary Sources on Blue
There are few ancient sources which directly discuss the color blue. However, we can trace early conceptions and uses of blue in historical artifacts and texts:
| Source | Date | Evidence of Blue |
|---|---|---|
| Egyptian Fayum mummy portraits | 1st – 3rd century AD | Use of blue pigment; blue associated with divinity |
| Iliad & Odyssey | 8th century BC | Descriptive terms for blue objects; blue symbolically associated with sea |
| Chinese Qing Ming Shang He Tu scroll | 1085 – 1145 AD | Use of blue and green pigments; no distinction between colors |
| Mayan Blue ceramics | 600 – 900 AD | Brilliant blue pigment made from indigo and clay |
These artifacts demonstrate an early recognition of blue as a color, alongside an association of blue with religious and natural symbols. Tracing blue through history gives insight into both the scientific progression of blue dyes and pigments and the artistic development of color perception.
When Blue Became a Common Color
For much of human civilization, blue was an expensive, prestige color reserved for sacred and luxurious contexts. The ancient Egyptians and Chinese used blue for deities, while Medieval Europeans used it in prestigious manuscripts and religious art. Ultramarine, made from lapis lazuli, was more expensive than gold. Beginning in the 18th century, chemists created the first synthetic blue pigments. Prussian blue and cobalt blue made vivid blues affordable and abundant.
As it became inexpensive to dye textiles blue, blue clothing grew in popularity. By the mid-19th century blue had become an everyday color in fashion. Impressionist painters also began using more affordable blues to capture nature and everyday life. Science made it possible for blue to shift from a precious rarity to an ordinary color in people’s lives.
Conclusion
Humans have been dazzled by the brilliant blue of lapis gems, seas, and skies for thousands of years. Ancient cultures in Egypt, Greece, China, and beyond recognized blue as a foundational color and imbued it with rich symbolism. While blue pigments were historically limited and costly, modern chemistry has enabled the mass production of every hue of blue. Once rare and reserved for the sacred, blue is now ubiquitous in the modern world. Tracing the history of our perception, understanding and expression of blue provides profound perspective on how we have grown to classify, describe and apply color in our lives.
