Room 37

37.1
In the West, blue has been the most popular colour for centuries. This stems from the cult of the Virgin Mary that emerged in the late Middle Ages. In this period, Mary was portrayed in blue clothing for the first time, having previously been depicted in black or dark mourning clothes, according to Roman custom.

The cult of the Virgin led to a growing love of ‘modest’ blue, which was increasingly seen as a genteel and decent colour.

This explains the abundance of blue items in the fashion collections of Dutch museums, especially in the eighteenth- and nineteenth-century garments. It is fascinating how long such ideas can last.

37.2
In Christian culture, blue represents heaven and is often associated with peace and spirituality. This Cosmica design by Iris van Herpen resembles a large cloud or a blue sky.

In painting, ultramarine was the pigment most associated with the Virgin Mary. Obtained by grinding the semi-precious stone lapis lazuli, ultramarine pigment was extremely costly.

Woad, a blue vegetable dye, was widely used to dye fabrics. Indigo dye was introduced to Europe much later from America.

In the 1870s and 1880s there was a fashion for ‘electric blue’, a popular chemical aniline dye whose name conjured up the modern era.