What colors are in the "Hay's Russet & Dull Violet Black" palette?

Hay's Russet & Dull Violet Black contains 2 colors: Hay's Russet (#793327), Dull Violet Black (#1e0e3f). From Sanzo Wada's "A Dictionary of Color Combinations" (1933).

When was the "Hay's Russet & Dull Violet Black" palette created?

This palette is from Sanzo Wada's 1933 reference work "A Dictionary of Color Combinations" (Seigensha Art Publishing 2010 reprint). Wada documented historical Japanese color combinations from the showa era and earlier periods. The source work is in the public domain.

What style or era does the "Hay's Russet & Dull Violet Black" palette belong to?

Hay's Russet & Dull Violet Black is associated with the showa era and emphasizes red tones. Plate 95 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Hay's Russet, Dull Violet Black.

Can I use the "Hay's Russet & Dull Violet Black" palette in my own design?

Yes. The source palette by Sanzo Wada (1933) is in the public domain. This page's curation and metadata are CC BY 4.0 licensed — attribution to colorcombinations.org appreciated but not required for the colors themselves.

Hay's Russet & Dull Violet Black — The Dictionary of Color Combinations

About this combination

Combination 95 of 348 in Wada's six-volume 1933 work. A two-colour pairing of Hay's Russet, Dull Violet Black, as documented in the original plates.

Historical context

This palette is inspired by the tradition of Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations, which cataloged combinations drawn from centuries of Japanese cultural life. The specific colors here use traditional shikisai names that have been in the public domain for generations.

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Details

Era: Showa
Dominant hue: red
Moods: solemn, warm, austere
Colors: 2

Accessibility

WCAG contrast ratios between every color pair. Use the strongest combinations for text; the weakest ones make good decorative backgrounds.

Strongest pair: Hay's Russet on Dull Violet Black — 1.95:1 (Fail)

Hay's Russet·Dull Violet Black1.95:1Fail

How to read this

AAA: Passes WCAG 2.1 AAA for normal text — the highest accessibility bar.
AA: Passes WCAG 2.1 AA for normal text. Standard production requirement.
AA Large: Passes WCAG 2.1 AA for large text only (18pt+ or 14pt+ bold). Avoid for body copy.
Fail: Below WCAG 2.1 AA. Fine for decorative use — not for text.

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From the editorial · Long read

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Related combinations

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Hay's Russet & Dull Violet Black

About this combination

Historical context

Embed this palette

Support the archive The full catalog, on your disk, as a thank-you.

Wabi-Sabi Color Theory: The Beauty of Things That Have Aged

Crimson & Navy— 紅と紺

Scorched Brown & Unbleached— 焦茶と生成

Madder Red & Evergreen— 茜と常磐

Persimmon & Burnt Brown— 柿と焦茶

Crimson Lake & Pine— 臙脂と松葉

Vermillion, Black, Gold— 朱・黒・金

Madder Brown & Deep Indigo

Brick Red & Red Violet

Taupe Brown & Slate Color