What does the color of the thigh of a frightened nymph look like, Dauphin's surprise and other coloristic delights of the past

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

If you are not an artist, then you have every right to think that there are only seven colors in the world and not to distinguish "sandy" from "terracotta". However, it is believed that the human eye is able to distinguish at least about 150 color shades, and professionals can distinguish up to 15 thousand colors. In the 18th century, people liked to give color shades intricate and highly original names. Let's learn how to distinguish some of them, especially since they are often found in the literature.

Nymph thigh color

In romantic painting of the past centuries, mythological subjects were extremely popular. In addition to shepherdesses, nymphs often appeared in the paintings. It was, perhaps, the only decent way to decorate your salon in the nude, so it was often resorted to. Therefore, for lovers of the beautiful 18th century, the shade Nymph thigh color caused quite definite associations with a pale pink color. Around then this name came into use in France - "Cuisse de nymphe effrayee". The aesthetes were distinguished by an even slightly more saturated color. Terrified nymph's thighs … It was believed that if a charming woman was frightened by a hairy faun, then the skin tone would become brighter. This is how the French breeder Jean-Pierre Vibert called his new variety of roses in 1802.

Leo Tolstoy mentions this color in the epic novel War and Peace. Prince Ippolit appears in the salon of Anna Pavlovna Sherer Ilyif and Petrov also did not ignore such an original name for the shade in the story "I burn - and I do not burn":

However, this color gained the greatest popularity and fame in Russia under Emperor Paul, when the lining of a military uniform was made of this very shade. Since the quality of the officer's and soldier's uniforms differed significantly, a joke came into use that the soldiers' underside of the uniform had the color of the "frightened Masha's thigh".

Color zoo

Toad in love (muted green) is a rather beautiful shade that has acquired such a poetic name. And, of course, the fashionistas of the 18th-19th centuries did not in any way confuse it with a light gray-green hue, which was called Fainting frog.

Giraffe belly (or Giraffe in exile) - a light brown with a reddish hue, became the most popular color trend in 1827, after the French king Charles X was presented with a young female giraffe. The novelty settled in the Botanical Garden, and all the nobility dressed up in the color of her skin.

Scared Mouse Color (pale gray) - probably meant that the poor rodent should turn pale, frightened. Therefore, in the old days, tailors necessarily distinguished this shade from simply Mouse.

If the gloomy subtext of the names of the shades does not bother you, then you can sew yourself an outfit of color A spider plotting a crime or Grays last breath … According to the Parisian ladies of the 18th century, the eyes of the then popular salon bird at the last gasp became just such a reddish-yellow hue.

And, of course, fleas, constant companions of the people of the romantic age, were also immortalized in colors. We, fortunately, today it is difficult to imagine, but 200-300 years ago, red-brown shades Flea Belly, Flea backas well as colors Pensive and Crushed flea did not surprise anyone.

Historical figures and events "in color"

For some reason, the famous Chancellor of the German Empire Otto von Bismarck left behind a rich "color heritage". Shades Bismarck sick, Bismarck is angry, Bismarck restrained, Bismarck brilliant, Bismarck the jolly and Bismarck-furioso ("Angry") - brown with a red tint, were popular during the First World War.

The color of Navarino smoke with flame

(N. V. Gogol "Dead Souls")

This is how the color scheme reflected an important historical event for its time - in 1827 a major naval battle took place in the Ionian Sea. The combined forces of the Russian, British and French squadrons burned the Turkish-Egyptian fleet, and the dark gray color of the cloth became fashionable for sewing frock coats. Not to be confused with shades Moscow fire and Bazaar fire … The latter arose at the end of the 19th century in memory of a terrible fire at a charity bazaar in Paris in May 1897. It is described as a very complex combined color - red-fiery with an admixture of yellow-bluish.

Color of the Marquise PompadourThis shade of pink should not be associated with the cheeks of the famous favorite of King Louis XV, but with her contribution to the development of French production. She took an active part in the creation of Sevres porcelain. A special color, obtained as a result of numerous experiments, is named after her - Rose Pompadour.

Also, historical figures who gave names to shades are Lord Byron, his name is given to the color dark chestnut, with a reddish tint, and Cardinal Rogan. Having found himself behind bars in connection with the famous case of the "Queen's necklace", the high dignitary aroused the sympathy of the French nobility, and in his honor the combination of yellow and red, called Cardinal on the straw.

Well, and, perhaps, the most unforgettable historical event that happened to the French queen Marie Antoinette, gave the name to the color Dauphin's surprise … The lucky queen showed to the courtiers the diapers of the newborn heir after he, completely out of protocol, stained them. The admired noble fashionistas dressed up in the same color the next day. Here it is better known as the color of Childhood surprise.