The Color Orange: A Cultural History

Of course, the incorporation of this vibrant hue into clothing and works of art began many years before its fruity association. In Ancient Egyptian tomb paintings, orange was often a central color. The artists used realgar— a pigment made from soft minerals typically found in crystals. Realgar was also used by medieval artists to color manuscripts. 

Other minerals, such as orpiment and crocoite, were also later utilized as pigmentation, but their usage declined in the 19th century following the emergence of non-toxic synthetic dyes.

Regardless of its make-up, the color has been a symbol of both spirituality and amusement throughout history. In certain religions, such as Buddhism and Hinduism, orange represents the highest state of enlightenment and spiritual knowledge, respectively.

When it comes to entertainment, in Ancient Roman mythology, the god of wine, fertility, and festivity— Dionysus— can often be found cloaked in orange. Pomona, the goddess of fruit and harvest, is also commonly associated with the fiery color as well. 

More prominently, the pigment became a staple in the Pre-Raphaelite and Impressionist eras. Artists continued to include orange in their works as a symbol for energy and excitement. French painter Henri Toulouse-Lautrec took advantage of this bold color to capture the liveliness of dance halls and theaters in Paris, like the Moulin Rouge, in the 1800s. 

By tracking the hue throughout the entire painting, a robust energy was given to the room. He would also pinpoint certain subjects within his works— typically dancers— draping them in orange to make them stand out amongst the otherwise muted crowds. 

Because of its abundant appearance in nature, many also view the color as a representation of the changing seasons as Impressionists would often use it to depict the natural elements, such as sunsets, flowers, or tree leaves.

Vincent van Gogh worked with orange in his landscape paintings to replicate the fields of farms and different times of day. Similarly, the color was a staple for Georgia O’Keeffe as she would accurately capture the details of a flower or her own desert landscapes.

Today, orange has asserted its dominance in more places than just fruit baskets and flower beds. Its bright pigmentation has led to its frequent use in the making of safety equipment— from traffic cones to life preservers. For the same visibility purposes, astronauts also wear orange suits during takeoffs and reentries into the atmosphere.

To some, the color may also be seen as political. In Dutch culture, orange is the symbol of royalty, because of the current royal family— The House of Orange-Nassau. It also is the national color of the Netherlands and is utilized in festivities, as the cities are decorated with orange banners, balloons, and flags. 

Regardless of culture, the color orange appears to have been aptly named, as it has been perceived throughout history to be as zesty and energetic as the fruit itself.