Red is a striking colour with an ancient history when it comes to textiles.
Most of us know about cochineal, the insects from which the colour carmine is obtained, but there are other ways to get the hue. In Europe, North Africa and the Near East, where madder was extensively used, red has gone in and out of fashion but it is a colour that continues to evoke and stir the emotions. It has been used to symbolise wealth and opulence, decadence and decay, danger and luxury. No wonder we love red!
This essay by Lorenza Smith, whose work focuses on the art, architecture and costumes of Venice, traces the rise, and fall, and rise of red, from the earliest recorded proof of dyed thread (6th Millennium BC) to the 21st Century. It is a fascinating glimpse into this fascinating colour!
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