What colors are in the "Madder Brown & Violet Blue" palette?

Madder Brown & Violet Blue contains 2 colors: Madder Brown (#762c19), Violet Blue (#40456a). From Sanzo Wada's "A Dictionary of Color Combinations" (1933).

When was the "Madder Brown & Violet Blue" 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 "Madder Brown & Violet Blue" palette belong to?

Madder Brown & Violet Blue is associated with the showa era and emphasizes red tones. Plate 98 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Madder Brown, Violet Blue.

Can I use the "Madder Brown & Violet Blue" 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.

Madder Brown & Violet Blue — The Dictionary of Color Combinations

About this combination

Combination 98 of 348 in Wada's six-volume 1933 work. A two-colour pairing of Madder Brown, Violet Blue, 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.

Export

One click — no signup, no watermark.

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: Madder Brown on Violet Blue — 1.06:1 (Fail)

Madder Brown·Violet Blue1.06:1Fail

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.

Embed this palette

Add this swatch strip to any blog post, Notion page, or website. It links back here automatically.

<iframe src="https://colorcombinations.org/embed/wada-098-madder-brown-violet-blue/" width="320" height="80" frameborder="0" style="border-radius:6px;overflow:hidden;" title="Madder Brown & Violet Blue color palette — colorcombinations.org"></iframe>

Preview

From the editorial · Long read

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

What it actually means for color when a tradition values age over newness — the tea-room palette, three exemplars, and the anti-patterns to avoid.

Read the article →

Other palettes in Color Palettes for Branding.

Heian era

Crimson & Navy— 紅と紺

Deep safflower crimson against navy — the courtly contrast of Heian-era robes and formal Edo textiles.

Muromachi era

Scorched Brown & Unbleached— 焦茶と生成

The dark brown of scorched wood against unbleached hemp — quiet materials.

Edo era

Madder Red & Evergreen— 茜と常磐

The rooted red of madder-dyed cotton set against enduring pine green.

Edo era

Persimmon & Burnt Brown— 柿と焦茶

Autumn persimmon against scorched cedar — harvest colors from the countryside.

Edo era

Crimson Lake & Pine— 臙脂と松葉

The deep lake crimson of cochineal against pine needle green — winter evergreen.

Kamakura era

Vermillion, Black, Gold— 朱・黒・金

The ceremonial triad of temple lacquerware — vermillion, lacquer black, gold leaf.

See the full color palettes for branding collection →

Related combinations

Three palettes with a similar feel.

Showa era

Madder Brown & Deep Indigo

Plate 28 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Madder Brown, Deep Indigo.

Showa era

Brick Red & Red Violet

Plate 37 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Brick Red, Red Violet.

Showa era

Taupe Brown & Slate Color

Plate 57 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Taupe Brown, Slate Color.

Madder Brown & Violet Blue

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