When I was a kid, I remember being traumatized by an especially violent version of Grimm’s Fairy Tales that we had on our shelf. Deep dark forests, child-eating wolves, ogres, giants, witches, and trolls (most of whom were also child-eating).… Read More
You may be familiar with the ongoing court case involving the shoe designer, Christian Louboutin, who claims that the designer Yves Saint Laurent stole his signature design by making and selling red-soled shoes. Louboutin believes he ought to be granted… Read More
Nowadays, subdued colors are considered proper business attire, especially for men. But to people of the Renaissance, muted, earthy shades were the colors of poverty. Noblemen, princes and high church officials wore bright colors. The brighter the color you were… Read More
Why are barns usually red? Early 19th century farmers believed the color absorbed sunlight and kept barns warmer in winter. They made red paint by mixing milk with rust shavings from metal fences and nails.
Source: Shenkman and Reiger:… Read More
For centuries, painters and textile dyers sought all sorts of ways to create a brilliant red. It’s a really hard color to make, as anyone can tell you who has tried to dye Easter eggs the natural way. (OK, I’ll… Read More