My favorite color is actually blue,
but since we already spent a class learning about the color blue I decided to
investigate another color I love, which is the color green. The English word
for green comes from the Middle English and Anglo-Saxon word grene, which derived from the Germanic
root word that mean “grass” and “grow.” When I think of the color green, I
usually think of science and nature, but it also has an important place in the
history of art.
There
are Neolithic cave paintings and ceramics from Mesopotamia that contain the
color green, but the ancient culture that loved the color green the most were
the Egyptians. Egyptian artist made the color by grinding up malachite or they
would mix yellow ochre and blue azurite. Green was the color that represented
rebirth, regeneration, and good health for the ancient Egyptians. People would
wear green paint around their eyes to protects them from evil. The color green
was a very positive symbol for Egyptians and a lot of green paint and malachite
have been found in Egyptian tombs. Their God, Osiris, who represents the
underworld, rebirth, and regeneration would always be painted using the color
green.
During
the Renaissance, the colors you wore depicted your social rank. Green was worn
by bankers and merchants, so the color often represented status and wealth. The
Mona Lisa wears green in her painting. During this period, there wasn’t an easy
way to create the color green, usually the green just looked like brown and the
paint would fade away quickly. They finally got their hands on malachite, which
created a very luscious and vibrant shade.
In
the 18th and 19th centuries, synthetic dyes were becoming
more popular and artist would able to get their hands on vivacious hues. In
this time period, the color green had started to represent the romantic period.
The German poet, Goethe, said that green was the most restful color. Many
landscape paintings that were made during this time celebrated the color.
Now,
the color green has started to represent social movements, like encouraging to
make society more environmentally stable. It also represents youth, life, and
calmness.
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Leonardo da Vinci. Mona Lisa. 1504. Oil on panel.
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Ancient Egyptian God,
Osiris, ruler of the underworld, rebirth, and regeneration. Tomb of Nefertari
1295-1253 BC.
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Jan van Eyk. The Arbolfini Wedding, The Portrait of
Giovanni Arnolfini and his Wife Giovanna Cenami. 1434. Oil on panel.
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John Constable. Dedham Vale. 1802.
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