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VERMILION EVOKES THE RADIANCE OF LIFE AND A SENSE OF BEAUTY PASSED DOWN THROUGH THE AGES.
Its vivid presence brings a poised, quietly powerful warmth to your life, your sensibility, and your sense of beauty.
Its essence illuminates your life, your way of living, and your design.
BEAUTY KEYWORDS
VITALITY WARMTH PASSION CRAFTSMANSHIP ELEGANCE TIMELESS BEAUTY
Set of Trays with Flowers and Butterflies in Mita-e — Japan, 19th century.
Tokyo National Museum, Tokyo. ColBase.
THE STORY OF BEAUTY
Its vivid brilliance has captivated people for centuries.
In Japan, vermilion has been incorporated into many forms of beauty, including pottery, crafts, lacquerware, and painting.
The deep, lustrous red seen in vermilion lacquer, in particular, reflects a distinctly Japanese sense of beauty through its exquisite harmony with black and gold.
Yet the story of vermilion is not unique to Japan.
Cinnabar, the mineral from which vermilion pigment is derived, is a naturally occurring red mineral.
It has been used as a pigment around the world since ancient times. Its vivid red can be found in Chinese lacquerware, as well as in paintings from ancient Greece and Rome.
Across distant cultures, vermilion has been cherished in different forms.
In Japan, it is known as *shu*; as a mineral, it is called *cinnabar*; and as a pigment, *vermilion*.
Though the names differ, they share a common story: the long history of human creativity, transforming a vivid red born of nature into beauty.
Four-tiered Box with Scholars — China, Qing dynasty, 18th century.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
BEAUTY OF HAPPINESS
The beauty of vermilion lies in the way vividness and depth coexist within a single color.
While evoking passion and vitality, vermilion can also create a sense of quiet strength and poise when paired with black, white, gold, or deep green.
From ancient murals to lacquerware and contemporary design, vermilion has reflected the aesthetic sensibilities of its time, transcending eras and cultures.
Vermilion is a color that tells stories of the past while continuing to bring new beauty to the present.
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One of a Pair of Wine Cups (Sakazuki) with Mount Hōrai — Japan, 19th century.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
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WHEN YOU...
What speaks to you today?
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