What is Venetian Red?
We’re two working artists, who conceived of Venetian Red as a vehicle through which we could examine art, the resplendent light that illuminates human civilization. We thought that the process of looking at, thinking, and writing about art would help us to delve more deeply into what inspires us emotionally and creatively. Further, we believed that sharing our ideas widely through a digital forum would stimulate others to respond with their own ideas, and that the ensuing dialog would enrich all participants.
In all of this, we have not been disappointed! And along the way Venetian Red has produced an unexpected but welcomed bonus: loads of new connections to artists and ideas.
What’s in a Name?
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a color must speak volumes. Indeed, a long and captivating tale of human creativity unfolds through the venerable hue known as Venetian Red. The Lascaux beasts, the murals at Pompeii, Tenmoku glazes, the ceramic figures of Colima, Titian’s Assumption of the Virgin, El Greco’s Disrobing of Christ, Matisse’s Interior in Venetian Red, Julian Schnabel’s Orientalist palace are but a few of the many chapters in the book on Venetian Red.
Ancient and enduring, Venetian Red is natural earth clay tinted by iron oxide. It appears in various forms all over the world. The color ranges from deep red to brownish red, depending on the content of iron oxide in the soil. For centuries the specific pigment (PR 102) used by fine artists was mined, as its name suggests, at a quarry near Venice, although it wasn’t known by its modern name until perhaps the 17th century. Through the years it has been called English Red, Light Red, Red Oxide and confused with Indian and Mars Reds. Since the 19th century, Venetian Red, like most pigments, has been made synthetically.
Venetian Red is a deceptively simple color. After all, dirt is a basic element of life on Earth. True, it is a hearty one, nourishing & satisfying like a bowl of lentil soup. But the name of this hue conjures up depth and mystery too. Venice is the city that bequeathed to the world the likes of Casanova, Shylock, Gustav von Aschenbach & Tadzio, Jane Hudson, Peggy Guggenheim, sinister fogs, Doge processions, and Murano glass. And what about the wide symbolic associations of red—guilt, lust, and sin; love; courage and heros; warning, fire; and in parts of Africa, death and mourning? In short, this color is packed with a lot of cultural intelligence. It speaks to the brilliance that is right there on the surface and to the gems that can only be found by digging through the layers.
Mystery, exploration, connection, inspiration, and art. Venetian Red captures it all.
Photos: (left) Interior mural, Pompeii (John Hauser); (middle) Ceramic Dog, Colima, ca. 300 (Latin American Studies); (right) Henri Matisse, Interior in Venetian Red, oil on linen, 1946 (Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique)
September 22, 2008 at 10:23 pm
When did you become interested in Central Asian Art? I have been reading about Cetntral Asia…politics, art, archealogy…all since 9/11/2001…I was astounded to see references to Auriel Stein before the great article on the trillion dollar bail out….I have passed on to my internet group…we are all over the US….who have been writing to one another for years….thanks for sending this to me
October 7, 2009 at 9:08 pm
I picked up your cards at SoMarts and that they were wonderrful, so followed up with your website. I live in th Richmond District, have a studio at the Shipyard in Hunters Point. I hope to see your work during your Open Studio.
February 1, 2010 at 12:38 am
Hello from France…
I was very glad to find your site. Didn’t have time enough yet to explore all here, but as a painter involved in using earth for my works, I deeply appreciate your sentence “Venetian Red is a deceptively simple color. After all, dirt is a basic element of life on Earth”… And I really think that simple elements and techniques should never been forgotten, because when we practise them, the meaning of an artistic approach becomes obvious all of a sudden… And the reason why we do things, in this 21th century, is not always easy to find !…
Many thanks for all this work here.
March 2, 2010 at 5:26 am
What a magical website!!! It nourrishes. Thank you
March 21, 2010 at 9:50 am
Wow! I stumbled onto this site while googling Dagobert Peche. What a gift this is. Thank you!
Julie @ Gaslight
San Francisco
March 25, 2010 at 1:30 pm
What a wonderful website. From textiles to icons to Sean Scully you have touched on so many of my interests with outstanding images. Thank you!
October 18, 2010 at 12:31 pm
I love your site! I came across it while Googling Asparagus for a cookery book a client of mine is writing based on an 18th century book of recipes. Couldn’t help myself—had to subscribe! It’s a delight.
November 7, 2010 at 12:10 am
bravo for all venetian red . a painter from greece
December 2, 2010 at 2:36 pm
At last a website after my own heart! How great to see so many of my favourite art/artists in one place.
June 24, 2011 at 2:33 am
See the chapter “Ochre” in “COLOUR” by Victoria Finlay – red ochre is seen as a sacred colour by the Aboriginals of Australia. Is this the basis for Venetian Red, does anyone know?
September 12, 2011 at 6:45 am
Wow that was strange. I just wrote an very long comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t appear. Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again. Regardless, just wanted to say great blog!
September 15, 2011 at 1:42 pm
Your blog is wonderful! I don’t see any recent posts so I hope you’re still at it. I’m also an artist with a blog about art and art history – we’ve been on some of the same award lists. I’m adding you to my blog roll – please let me know if you have decided to stop.
October 18, 2011 at 6:31 pm
Marilyn,
We’re pleased that you have found us. We’ve taken a hiatus from writing, but we will be back. In the meantime, you can follow us more frequently on TWITTER. See link at top of “sidebar.”
October 18, 2011 at 6:38 pm
Jacqueline
We are so pleased that you have found Venetian Red. Just a word of explanation about your difficulties in posting a longer comment. Comments don’t post automatically. We’ve set up Venetian Red so that we need to approve all comments before they post, so that we avoid readers having to wade through spam. As a reader, I hope you appreciate that policy.
Look forward to more of your comments.