The Symbolism of Gold: Wealth, Divinity & Royal Prestige in Art and History
Colour plays a pivotal role in every facet of life. Dictating our moods, displaying ones status, erudition, religion, reverence for the past and the future. Yet, the evolution of colour has been approached on a strictly intuitive level. Although taste, symbolic resonance and rarity play a large role in the popularity of a colour, there is an undeniable factor that is crucial to any understanding of colour. Science.
Our human ability to perceive colour was adapted as an aid to navigate our natural environment, which is arguably why colours found in the natural world have always been a source of satisfaction. From children to adults, everyone finds pleasure in looking and working with colour. There is, however, a difference with the application of colours on a canvas in the West, to ceramics of the East. Countries and cultures inherent different symbolisms and associations with colour. For the artist, they must ask what is colour for? For the designer, they ask what can colour do?
Throughout history, colour has been used in various ways and in different spaces, mediums, and styles, so much so that it would be impossible to suggest any single colour as characteristic to one symbolic meaning. A single colour may have multiple meanings attached, from various parts of the world and various parts of history. This connection between chemistry, symbolism, nature, and history form the important constituting parts of what makes up colour and why it is so important to us.
In this series on the symbolism of colour, we continue with the colour gold.
The colour gold
We have worshipped gold since the very beginning. Its intoxicating glow has always allured humankind. From Byzantium mosaiced basilicas, Incan garments, and Japanese kintsugi, gold is the divine light of heaven, a colour of unworldly beauty, and a symbol of power. No one knows when humans first took gold from the earth. Found deposited in rivers, humans fell in love with gold, not because of its rarity, or its versatility, but because of its appearance. Radiant and glistening, for those civilisations that worshipped the sun, gold was the only colour that would suffice. Gold was the colour of the sun and the eternal shine of religion and power.
Gold symbolises transcendence
Humans have been cursed by the mythological Midas touch. No matter from where or from when, the language of gold remains universal, dominating our religions, our tastes, and our art. Even from antiquity, gold still shines. This is because of golds properties. It does not tarnish and it is an incredibly versatile, soft, and malleable material. In ancient Egypt, gold symbolises godliness and immortality. The material and colour was exclusively reserved for the use of kings. A bright yellow gold was a result of its silver-gold composition. It described the skin colour of the gods, especially the sun god Ra. The burial mask of Pharaoh Tutankhamun is an iconic example of the spiritual symbolism of gold. As it was intended not for display but as a death mask, the use of gold was likely a symbol of the immortality of Egyptian gods and used to eternalise their kings.
In early Western Christian art, gold represented the immaterial. Heavenly skies were described through gold. In the Byzantine Empire, mosaic tesserae formed the heavens above in beautiful intricate flickers of encrusted golden walls and domes. Upon entering a basilica, the candlelight against the mosaics would bring the immaterial to life. Reflecting light, giving light, and instilling a sense of wonder into the viewer. Into the Middle Ages and early Renaissance, gold remained the divine light of heaven. In altarpieces, golden haloes and golden backgrounds were formed by gold leaf, suggesting the proximity of the paintings inhabitants to god. Christians no longer had to pray with words, the gold leaf of altarpieces enabled prayer through colour. This was also true for the Islamic world of art. The Muslim faith is strongly anti-idolatrous and as a result intricate patterns of foliate form and calligraphy are used to elevate and revere the Quran. Illuminated manuscripts in gold leaf can therefore be viewed as the closest representation of the inherent divinity of the words of Allah.
Gold symbolises wealth
The beguiling beauty of gold was exalted as a symbol of immortality, yet its other symbolic meaning lies more in the world of the mortals. Gold would quickly come to signify wealth and prestige, and humankind would have an insatiable appetite for it. The Incas lost gold was believed to have been the tears and sweat of the sun god Inti. Thousands of Incan and pre-Inca garments, jewellery, figurines, and objects are believed to be hidden in the Llanganates mountain range, hidden from the Spanish conquistadors who inflamed with gold lust and knowledge of its fortune, had stolen most of Incan gold.
In other cultures around the world, gold scarcity and durability have made it a currency for years, and therefore a sign of status. In various Islamic empires, the colour gold was used in court painting. The Mughal Emperor Akbar helped to establish gold leaf miniature paintings as an Indo-Persian artistic culture. Elsewhere in the world, court paintings and important objects also employed gold to reflect the wealth and status of the patron. Famously, royal gold is used as a reflection of power. From the courts of Imperial China to Great Britains royal family, gold is the bedrock of universal power. Our tale of a timeless obsession with all things golden is reflected in our works of art and precious objects, and its opulent glow remains to this day.
Understanding the symbolism behind colours in art and design can create a more effective and meaningful connection between you and your desired antiques. Across time and culture, colour has created visually compelling experiences, evoking emotional responses and conveying subliminal messages. With your now extensive knowledge of the colour gold, explore the Nicholas Wells website to find your perfect touch of colour, or read more on our other deep dives in colour symbolism.
All images show pieces available on the Nicholas Wells website.
Written by Daisy Watson
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