Marian blue


Common connotations
Virgin Mary
Color coordinates
Hex triplet	#2B4593
sRGB^B (r, g, b)	(43, 69, 147)
HSV (h, s, v)	(225°, 71%, 58%)
CIELCh_uv (L, C, h)	(32, 64, 260°)
Source	Color Name: Marian Blue
B: Normalized to [0–255] (byte)

Marian blue is a tone of the color ultramarine named for its use with the Virgin Mary.^[1]

Background

In paintings, Mary is traditionally portrayed in blue. This tradition can trace its origin to the Byzantine Empire, from circa 500 AD, where blue was "the color of an empress". A more practical explanation for the use of this color is that in Medieval and Renaissance Europe, the blue pigment was derived from the rock lapis lazuli, a stone imported from Afghanistan of greater value than gold. Beyond a painter's retainer, patrons were expected to purchase any gold or lapis lazuli to be used in the painting. Hence, it was an expression of devotion and glorification to swathe the Virgin in gowns of blue. Transformations in visual depictions of the Virgin from the 13th to 15th centuries mirror her "social" standing within the Church as well as in society.^[2]

In art the association of blue with Mary was complemented by an association of red with Jesus. The juxtaposition of the two is an important element in many works of historical art.^[3]

References

^ Kelleher, Katy (March 6, 2018). "Marian Blue, the Color of Angels, Virgins, and Other Untouchable Things". Paris Review. Retrieved March 6, 2018.
^ Kugeares, Sophia Manoulian (1991). Images of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary of The 13th, 14th and 15th Century. University of South Florida Libraries Catalog. n.p.
^ Fiore, Julia. "Why Jesus and Mary Always Wear Red and Blue in Art History". artsy.net. Artsy. Retrieved November 28, 2022.

Shades of blue

Aero	Air Force blue	Air superiority blue	Alice Blue	Argentinian Blue	Azure	Azul	Baby blue	Berkeley Blue	Bice blue

Bleu de France	Blue	Blue-gray	Bondi blue	Brandeis blue	Byzantine blue	Cambridge blue	Carolina blue	Celestial Blue	Celtic Blue

Cerulean	Chefchaouen Blue	Chrysler blue	Cobalt blue	Columbia blue	Cornflower	Blue (Crayola)	Dark blue	Deep Sky Blue	Delft Blue

Denim	Dodger blue	Duke blue	Egyptian blue	Federal blue	Glaucous	Green-blue	Electric indigo	Eclipse	French blue

Honolulu blue	Ice blue	Illini blue	Indigo	Indigo dye	International Klein Blue	Jordy Blue	Lapis Lazuli	Light blue	Light Sky Blue

Majorelle Blue	Marian blue	Maya blue	Medium blue	Medium slate blue	Midnight blue	Blue (Munsell)	Navy blue	Blue (NCS)	Neon blue

Non-photo blue	Oxford Blue	Palatinate blue	Pale azure	Penn Blue	Periwinkle	Persian blue	Phthalo blue	Picton Blue	Polynesian blue

Powder blue	Prussian blue	Resolution Blue	RISD Blue	Royal Blue (web color)	Royal blue (traditional)	Ruddy Blue	Sapphire	Savoy blue	Silver Lake Blue

Sky blue	Space cadet	Steel blue	Tang Blue	True Blue	Tufts Blue	UCLA Blue	Ultramarine	United Nations Blue	Uranian Blue

Violet-blue	Vista Blue	Yale Blue	YInMn Blue	Zaffre

Background

See also

References