The Symbolism of Purple: Royalty, Spirituality & Hidden Meanings
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 purple.
The Colour Purple
The stability of blue and the fierceness of red combine to create a colour that symbolises everything in-between. Purple is the colour of mystery, magic, and royalty. The tremendous price of ancient purple has become the stuff of legend. From deep red purple, blue-ish indigo, and violet, in ancient times purple was worth more than gold.
Purple symbolises royalty
In Imperial Rome, Tyrian purple was under strict control by royal decree. The dye was extracted from the mucus of sea snails by the Phoenician trading city of Tyre, now modern-day Lebanon. According to Pliny the Elder, thousands of snails were required to produce just one ounce of dye. Its scarcity and difficulty of manufacture made it both highly desirable and incredibly expensive. During the reign of Roman emperor Diocletian, one pound of purple dye cost around the equivalent of three pounds of gold. In Republican Rome, the glorious colour would be permitted to be worn by those of the highest rank. A purple and gold robe for triumphant generals, edged purple togas for senators, consuls, and praetors. In the time of Imperial Rome, purple could only be worn by the emperor, and despite the eventual dissociation with the dye, purple was valorised with royal association long after.
According to Pliny, indigo another variation of purple, was second in value to Tyrian purple. Imported to Europe from the Indus Valley, the dye was obtained from the leaves of the tropical Indigo plant. However, indigo was also known to have been used in ancient civilisations in Mesoamerica, Peru, Iran, West Africa, and Britain. In West Africa, the labour to extract indigo was a long process, therefore making the colour highly valued and used to create only the finest fabrics and patterns. From the strip weavers of Kong to the traditional Yoruba people of West Africa, indigo itself was a precious substance.
Purple symbolises fantasy
Due to its place at the end of the visible light spectrum, purple is often associated with a sense of mystery and sensuality. It is also the hardest colour for the eye to discriminate, adding to its mystical symbolic weight. Purple hues were used by the pre-Raphaelite painters to create whimsical, romantic scenes. Purple is also the colour of counterculture. In the 60s and 70s, purple came to be associated with the psychedelic drug, peace, and love culture.
Natural amethysts have a strong purple hue. The precious stone has been held in high regard for centuries, adorned by royalty, from ancient Egypt to the British monarchy. In ancient Greek mythology, the origin of the amethyst comes from the story of the virgin maiden Amethyste, who was turned into quartz by Diana to protect her from Bacchus. The hypnotically deep coloured stone was believed to prevent drunkenness, protect, and heal.
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 purple, 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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