The fundamentals of the colour Blue.

Historical Significance:

The colour blue has been significant and cherished in various societies throughout history. Ancient Egyptians prized the semi-precious stone lapis lazuli, which was ground into a powder to create blue cosmetics and paints. Egyptians also associated blue with divinity and used it extensively in the artwork and adornments of pharaohs. The quest for blue dyes, particularly the indigo plant, led to major trade routes in Asia, Africa, and the Americas. By the time of the Renaissance, a new shade, ultramarine, was developed from lapis lazuli and became the most expensive and sought-after blue pigment, often reserved for depicting the robes of the Virgin Mary and other significant religious figures.

Cultural Meaning:

Blue's cultural meanings are vast and varied. In many Western cultures, blue symbolizes trust, loyalty, wisdom, and confidence, leading it to be a dominant colour in corporate and academic insignias. In Chinese culture, blue is associated with immortality and longevity. Ancient Greeks, at one point, did not have a clear term for blue and might have perceived the colour differently than modern societies. Today, many Mediterranean cultures still associate blue with warding off evil, hence the popularity of the blue "evil eye" talismans.

Symbolic Meaning:

Across the board, blue is often linked with depth and stability. It's emblematic of the sky and sea, symbolizing vastness, exploration, and inspiration. Blue also signifies calmness and tranquility. It's a colour of introspection, invoking feelings of melancholy on one hand (hence the term "feeling blue") and serenity on the other. In a spiritual context, especially within the chakra system of Indian tradition, blue is associated with the throat chakra, symbolizing communication, expression, and truth.

Blue print. (a drawn plan)

Feeling blue. (feeling down or depressed)

(Until you are) blue in the face. (to argue a point for a prolonged period)

Once in a blue moon. (a rare occurrence)

A bolt from the blue. (when news comes unexpectedly)

“I find it harder and harder every day to live up to my blue china.” - Oscar Wilde

“Blue thou art, intensely blue; Flower, whence came thy dazzling hue?” - James Montgomery

“I am a ‘blue sky thinker’ and dream big.” - Hilary Knight

“The deeper the blue becomes, the more strongly it calls man towards the infinite, awakening in him a desire for the put and, finally, for the supernatural… The brighter it becomes, the more it loses it’s sound, until it turns into silent stillness and becomes white.” - Wassily Kandinsky