The Secret Lives of Color

Red's Appeal

Red has been a color of universal appeal and historical significance across cultures. Cassia St. Clair explains that red has a measurable impact on human response, which might explain its widespread use in various cultures 1. For instance, teams wearing red have statistically won more games, and ancient civilizations used hematite, a red pigment, as a marker of human evolution 1. The pursuit of vibrant red shades led to the discovery of dyes from scale insects, such as Kermes and cochineal, which were used as status symbols and became synonymous with luxury 2.

One of the oldest pigments, oldest red pigments that we know about is hematite, which essentially you can kind of think of like rust. It's iron oxide.

--- Cassia St. Clair

The vibrant red from cochineal was highly valued by Aztecs and Incas, and its use was deeply embedded in their culture and economy 2.

   

Exploitation

The pursuit of red dyes like cochineal played a significant role in colonial exploitation. Cassia St. Clair highlights how the Spanish exploited cochineal, a dye stronger than Kermes, to generate immense profits in Europe 3. This exploitation often led to the brink of extinction for the insects used, as it took about 70,000 bugs to produce a pound of dye 3. Despite its grim history, cochineal is still used today in food and cosmetics, labeled as E 120, offering a natural alternative to synthetic colorants derived from coal tar 3.

Colors and colorants have been one of those things that people go and take over other countries and exploit other areas of the world for.

--- Cassia St. Clair

This highlights the complex interplay between color, culture, and commerce, where the demand for vibrant hues has historically driven both innovation and exploitation.