Wave length : 750 – 610 nm

Frequency: 480 – 405 thz

Warm colour

Complementary colour : Green

Some variations of red: crimson, alizarin lacquer, carmine, cadmium, vermilion.

Other chromatic fields: For Red

It is the universal symbol of the urgency of the alert, of the danger of “red alert”.

It’s also the colour of prohibition: traffic lights and stop signs are red.

Other common symbols use red: warnings on medicine or dangerous products, red telephone, red card, red cross.

But red is ambivalent. It is both a symbol of life and death, originating in fire and blood.

It also symbolises passion, impulsiveness, being “red with rage” or “seeing red”, fire and energy, strength, courage and blood. It stimulates the mind.

In France, for example, Alpine hunters don’t use the word, but instead say “bleu cerise” (cherry blue).

In the analytical conception, colours express the main psychic functions of man: Thinking, feeling, intuition, sensation, etc.

It symbolises feelings

Season = Summer

Element= Fire

Stone= Grenat – Garnet

Orientation = South

Musical note = C

Days of the week = Tuesday (Mars = red) and Wednesday (Mercury = purple red)

The red was associated with Mars (Ares), the god of war, with his combative and imperious activity. It corresponds to charity and, in the negative order, to anger, hatred and wrath.

Red is also the sign of power. In Rome, red was worn by generals, practitioners and emperors. Similarly, in Constantinople, red was reserved for the emperors. It was forbidden to buy or sell purple fabrics. In the Church, red is the colour of cardinals and in justice, the colour of judges.

The red fire is the Holy Spirit of Pentecost (we speak of the flames of Pentecost) but it is also death, hell and the flames of Satan. The red blood is the blood shed by Christ, but it is also the flesh that is defiled, the (blood) crimes, the sins and the impurities of the biblical taboos. In the stained glass windows, the Devil is red or red and black.

The red colour is dedicated to the religion itself, and no longer to the world around it.

The mourning that was carried by the children was a sack of hemp dyed in a bright red colour. Even today, red flags accompany the body of the deceased. The body is often covered with a red cloth. White clothing and a red sash will help the deceased to travel, in conjunction with red, the colour of Confucian mourning, and white, the colour of Buddhist mourning. The offering candles will be red.

But while in our country the colours of mourning evoke sad thoughts, in China, as throughout East and Southeast Asia, death is not an end, but a logical continuation and herald of renewal. It’s a sign of reborn life, of joy, of loving.

In Chinese theatre, colour symbolism is used extensively for the audience’s identification of either the roles or the characters of the actors. Red is therefore reserved for high-ranking figures and military or warrior figures. In the characters, red is the mark of bravery and loyalty.

For us, red is a warm, invigorating colour, but for North Africans it is soothing.

In South Africa, red is a sign of mourning.

In Latin America and Mexico: red is the colour of religion when used with white.

In Indian representations, red is called the Spirit of Life, and this light gives animation and vitality. But red has many shades, both positive and negative. They are love, sensuality, dynamism, drunkenness and anger.

In the Middle East: Red is associated with feelings of danger and caution. For some people too, red reflects the colour of evil.

Red is the colour of energy, dynamism and activity. It makes you want to do it. It brings Yang. The red colour is a sign of extroversion. Our animal instincts are back.

It is recommended in cases of physical apathy, atony, colds caused by a cold, bronchitis and low blood pressure. It will encourage cells to multiply. It stimulates the liver and blood circulation, and helps with impotence and rheumatism.

It stimulates short-term memory, increases attention and heightens emotions.

It stimulates the appetite. It frees you from everyday constraints.

It’s a warming colour: American researchers found that in a room painted red, the perceived temperature rose by an average of 3 to 4°C.

In excess, it can cause irritability, aggression and tiredness.

It is contraindicated in high blood pressure, fever, sanguine and choleric temperament.