Priya Kapoor
Red has been a significant colour in art and culture for centuries. In the Ming dynasty, red connoted authority and status. In ancient Egypt, red ink was used for writing and drawing on papyrus. Chinese ink wash painting, also known as literati painting, is a style of painting that uses black ink in a watercolour technique to create images that are often expressive and freestyle. Sometimes, collectors would add their seals to paintings using a red ink pad, and they would sometimes add poems or notes of appreciation.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Red ink in East Asian art | Signifies authority and status |
| Red ink in East Asian literature | Used as a metaphor to describe a happy marriage |
| Red ink in East Asian ceramics | Represents the south |
| Red ink in East Asian lacquers | Associated with the mythical qilin, symbolising a wish for the birth of sons |
| Red ink in East Asian paintings | Indicates the presence of cinnabar (mercury), a mineral no longer used |
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What You'll Learn
Red ink in East Asian art
Red ink has carried a variety of meanings in East Asian art. In East Asian ink wash painting, which emerged during the Tang dynasty of China (618–907 CE), artists typically use monochrome shades of black, with a focus on brushwork and conveying the "spirit" or "essence" of a subject. However, red ink has been incorporated into East Asian art in various ways, carrying associations of vitality, passion, good fortune, and celebration.
The colour red has symbolic significance in East Asian culture and art. In ancient China, red was associated with happiness, celebration, and good fortune. It was often used in burial ceremonies and to adorn paintings and documents. The mineral cinnabar, a common ore of oxidized mercury, was processed into a pigment called vermilion, producing a vibrant red hue. Vermilion was widely used in East Asian art until the introduction of cadmium red in the early 20th century.
In East Asian art, red can also convey negative emotions and concepts such as warfare, rage, and destruction. The visceral quality of red resonates with the human psyche due to its association with blood. Contemporary artists like Chiharu Shiota have utilized red in their installations to explore themes of human connections and memories.
The use of red ink in East Asian calligraphy and painting is also noteworthy. In East Asia, there has traditionally been no distinction between ink and paint, as both painting and writing were executed using a brush. The same type of ink is used by schoolchildren and master calligraphers, although the quality may vary. Calligraphy in East Asia, particularly in China and Japan, is considered an art form that requires years of training and practice. Master calligraphers are recognized for their personal styles, which evolve over time as artists adapt brushstrokes and designs to their unique expressions.
Overall, red ink in East Asian art, whether in ink wash paintings, calligraphy, or other forms, carries cultural and symbolic significance. It can convey a range of emotions and concepts, from vitality and celebration to more negative associations. The use of red ink in East Asian art demonstrates the importance of colour symbolism and the artistic techniques that have evolved over centuries in the region.
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Red as a symbol of authority and status
In East Asian art, red ink has been used for centuries and holds a variety of symbolic meanings. In ancient China, red ink was made from cinnabar, a mercury-based pigment. Vermilion, a synthetic version of cinnabar, was also used and is characterised by its deep red colour.
During the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), red was a symbol of authority and status. Zhu Yuanzhang, the founder of the dynasty, was a member of the Red Turban movement and based his power in the south, which was symbolically represented by the colour red. Zhu's successors continued the association with red, ordering red ceramics of various shapes and sizes for their palaces.
In addition to its symbolic value, red ink was also used for practical purposes. In Korea, collectors would stamp paintings with red ink as a form of authentication. Sometimes, they would also add poems or notes of appreciation using red ink. This practice continued with the Qianlong Emperor, who was known to have disfigured several old and famous paintings with his stamps and writings.
Beyond its use in ink paintings, red was also a significant colour in other forms of art and design. In 15th-century Ming court, carved lacquer with a rich red surface was highly esteemed, often featuring dense floral imagery and shared sensibilities with contemporary textiles and decorated porcelains. The red colour of the lacquer was achieved through careful polishing to create a mellow effect, with a bottom layer of mustard-yellow lacquer.
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Red cinnabar pigment
Cinnabar is a dense red mineral that is the principal ore of the metal mercury. It is usually described as an intense reddish-orange or a dark reddish-purple. Cinnabar pigment is prepared from natural cinnabar crystals, sourced from mines in the Hunan province of China. The preparation process involves washing the crystals, followed by gradual wet milling in a metal-free environment to prevent contamination. The crystals are first milled with large media, then with smaller zirconia media to reduce the particle size to a fine sand, which is then washed again. The pigment is then left to settle and air-dried, resulting in a strong, vivid red colour.
Cinnabar has been used as a pigment since ancient times, with a history of use in traditional Chinese medicine and art, as well as in the art and decoration of Ancient Rome and the Byzantine Empire. In the Byzantine Empire, cinnabar was reserved for the imperial family and administrators, and official letters and decrees were written in vermilion ink made with cinnabar. The pigment was also used in the illuminated manuscripts of the Middle Ages and in Renaissance paintings.
The toxicity of cinnabar is a matter of debate, with some authorities considering it non-toxic and others classifying it as toxic. The deadly poison of mercury becomes harmless when stably bound with sulfur, but caution is still urged when handling the dry powder pigment due to potential harm to the user and the environment.
Today, cinnabar is considered a non-permanent pigment, and some artists may choose to use other pigments to achieve similar hues. However, samples of cinnabar have been known to withstand exposure to direct sunlight for at least ten years, and it remains a popular pigment for its unique colour and historical significance.
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Red in ritual practices
The colour red has varying cultural significance around the world. In Central Africa, the Ndembu warriors rub themselves with red paint during celebrations as the colour symbolises life and health. In other parts of Africa, red is a colour of mourning, representing death. In China, red is a symbol of fire and the south, carrying positive connotations of courage, loyalty, honour, success, fortune, fertility, happiness, passion, and summer. In Chinese weddings, brides traditionally wear red dresses, and red paper is used to wrap gifts of money.
In the Shinto religion of Japan, the gateways of temples, called torii, are traditionally painted vermilion red and black. The colour symbolises the passage from the profane world to a sacred place. In Hinduism, red is associated with Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and beauty. In Buddhism, red is one of the five colours that emanated from the Buddha when he attained enlightenment. It is associated with the benefits of the practice of Buddhism, including achievement, wisdom, virtue, fortune, and dignity.
In Judaism, there is an old custom of using a red thread tied around a bedpost or a child's wrist to keep away Lilith, the female demon who steals children. In Christianity, red is associated with the blood of Christ and the martyrdom of saints. It is the liturgical colour for the feasts of martyrs and is worn by Cardinals, the senior clergy of the Roman Catholic Church.
In terms of more negative associations, obituaries are traditionally written in red ink, and writing someone's name in red can signal their death or that they have been cut out of one's life.
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Red in ancient Egyptian ink
Red ink was used in ancient Egypt to highlight important messages, headings, instructions, and keywords. The use of red and black inks has been observed in several ancient Egyptian papyri from the Roman period, circa 100 to 200 CE. These inks were made from organic and inorganic materials, primarily soot and ocher, mixed with a binder, typically gum Arabic, and suspended in water or other fluids like animal glue, vegetable oil, and vinegar. The mixture was then dried and pressed into pellets, which scribes could carry around.
The red colour in ancient Egyptian inks has been attributed to the presence of iron in the form of ocher, a naturally occurring iron-based mineral. Lead compounds have also been detected in both red and black inks, indicating their use as a drying agent rather than for colour, as lead forms an invisible halo around the ocher particles. This discovery suggests that the ancient Egyptians had specialised ink manufacturing techniques, with workshops dedicated to producing inks according to complex recipes.
Further evidence of specialised ink mixing in Egypt is provided by a Greek document from the third century CE, which mentions the preparation of red ink in a workshop. The use of lead as a drying agent was also adopted in 15th-century Europe during the development of oil paintings, showcasing the advanced nature of ancient Egyptian ink technology.
The study of ancient Egyptian inks provides valuable insights into the history of writing practices and the specialised knowledge possessed by ancient civilisations. The analysis of 12 papyrus fragments from the Tebtunis temple library, the only large-scale institutional library known to have survived from ancient Egypt, has contributed significantly to our understanding of ink composition and ancient writing practices.
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Frequently asked questions
In East Asian art, red ink is often used by collectors to stamp paintings with their seals, and to add poems or notes of appreciation.
Ink wash painting is a style of East Asian art that uses black ink, often produced from pine tree resin, soot, or animal glue.
Ink paintings are created using a brush and ink made from a mixture of hide glue, carbon black, lampblack, and bone black pigment.
Red is a colour with a rich history and many associations in East Asian art and culture. In the Ming dynasty, red connoted authority and status. The dynastic founder, Zhu Yuanzhang, was part of the Red Turban movement, and his surname, Zhu, means "vermilion". In addition, mercury-based pigments that produce a deep red colour were used in burial ceremonies and adorned paintings and documents.
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