Pompeian Red

The signature color of Ancient Roman frescoes, a passionate, warm red preserved under volcanic ash

HEX#A84A32

RGBrgb(168, 74, 50)

HSLhsl(12, 54%, 43%)

HSVhsv(12, 70%, 66%)

CMYKcmyk(0%, 56%, 70%, 34%)

HEXA#A84A32FF

RGBArgba(168, 74, 50, 1)

HSLAhsla(12, 54%, 43%, 1)

OKLCHoklch(72.1%, 0.087, 41)

LCHlch(66.7%, 24.7, 51)

🎨 Color Palettes

Analogous2-3 adjacent hues (≤60°)

Triadic3 hues spaced 120° apart

Split ComplementaryMain color + colors adjacent to its complement

Complementary2 hues spaced 180° apart

Tetradic (Rectangle)4 hues forming a rectangle

MonochromaticSingle hue with varying saturation and lightness

♿ WCAG Contrast Colors

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High Contrast Text

#FFFFFFRatio 5.7:1AA

Suitable for body text, headings, and primary content, ensuring readability for all users

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Standard Text

#EFE3C8Ratio 4.5:1AA

Suitable for regular body content, meeting WCAG AA standards

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Large Text / UI Components

#ACC743Ratio 3:1AA Large

Suitable for large text (≥18px bold or ≥24px), icons, UI component boundaries

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Decorative / Dividers

#34AD4CRatio 2:1Fail

Suitable for decorative elements, dividers, non-essential text

📊 Color Scales

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Lightness VariationFixed hue and saturation, stepwise lightness adjustment ±30%

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Saturation VariationFixed hue and lightness, stepwise saturation adjustment ±30%

#885E53

#935748

#9E513D

#A94A32

#B44427

#BF3D1D

#CA3612

Lightness + Saturation Mixed VariationSimultaneous lightness and saturation adjustment

#3E251E

#5D3228

#7F3F2F

#A34A33

#C95336

#D86B4F

#E5846C

Hue Fine-TuningFixed saturation and lightness, stepwise hue fine-tuning ±15°

#A93238

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💡 Use Cases

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Archaeological Sites

The Villa of the Mysteries' frescoes in Pompeii are a must-see for visitors. Standing before the red walls, two thousand years of time vanish.

🏛️

Neoclassical Living Rooms

Pompeian red walls paired with white plaster moldings are a Neoclassical style classic, as if entering an 18th-century English country villa.

🎭

Theatre Curtains

Pompeian red velvet curtains with gold fringe build a dramatic sense of anticipation even before the curtain rises.

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Historical Books

Ancient Roman history books with Pompeian red covers transport the reader back to the age of Caesar and Cicero upon opening—a favorite of history buffs.

📜 Origin & History

Pompeian red is the most iconic color of Ancient Roman frescoes; the ruins of Pompeii contain a vast number of murals using this warm red. The Romans created the Pompeian red pigment by mixing cinnabar with red ochre.

In 79 AD, the eruption of Mount Vesuvius buried Pompeii in volcanic ash, and Pompeian red was sealed away for centuries. Not until the archaeological excavations beginning in 1748 did the shockingly vivid Pompeian red see daylight again.

The Pompeian red frescoes in the Villa of the Mysteries represent the pinnacle of Ancient Roman painting. The mysterious rites of the god Bacchus unfold against the red background, the color intensifying the ritual's ecstasy and sanctity.

The 18th-century Neoclassical movement was deeply influenced by the Pompeii excavations. European nobles competed to recreate Pompeian red rooms. The British architects the Adam brothers introduced Pompeian red into the design of English country villas.

Modern archaeologists continue to study the composition of Pompeian red. Cinnabar normally turns black at high temperatures, but the cinnabar red in Pompeii remains intact—the seal of volcanic ash protected this fragile red for two millennia.

🧠 Color Psychology

Mysterious EcstasyThe red walls of Pompeii's Villa of the Mysteries depict Bacchanalian revelry. Pompeian red intensifies religious ecstasy and primal passion.

Sealed by TimePreserved under volcanic ash for two thousand years, Pompeian red is a color in a time capsule, astoundingly fresh.

Classical RevivalPompeian red inspired Neoclassical Europe—an expression of 18th-century intellectuals' boundless admiration for Ancient Greece and Rome.

Luxurious and UninhibitedThe Pompeian red of the Ancient Romans was bold and unrestrained, unlike the more constrained reds of later ages—it embodies the confidence and assertiveness of the Roman Empire at its peak.

Tragic BeautyPompeian red is also the color of destruction. Life frozen under volcanic ash; beauty and death coexist within this red.

Archaeological LegendPompeian red is a marvel of archaeology. Every inch of red wall plaster is a precious clue for scholars interpreting Ancient Roman life.

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