What colors are in the "Buffy Citrine & Dull Blue Violet" palette?

Buffy Citrine & Dull Blue Violet contains 2 colors: Buffy Citrine (#96874d), Dull Blue Violet (#80719e). From Sanzo Wada's "A Dictionary of Color Combinations" (1933).

When was the "Buffy Citrine & Dull Blue Violet" 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 "Buffy Citrine & Dull Blue Violet" palette belong to?

Buffy Citrine & Dull Blue Violet is associated with the showa era and emphasizes yellow tones. Plate 100 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Buffy Citrine, Dull Blue Violet.

Can I use the "Buffy Citrine & Dull Blue Violet" 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.

Buffy Citrine & Dull Blue Violet — The Dictionary of Color Combinations

About this combination

Combination 100 of 348 in Wada's six-volume 1933 work. A two-colour pairing of Buffy Citrine, Dull Blue Violet, 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: yellow
Moods: refined, 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: Buffy Citrine on Dull Blue Violet — 1.23:1 (Fail)

Buffy Citrine·Dull Blue Violet1.23:1Fail

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-100-buffy-citrine-dull-blue-violet/" width="320" height="80" frameborder="0" style="border-radius:6px;overflow:hidden;" title="Buffy Citrine & Dull Blue Violet 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 Websites.

Heian era

Crimson & Navy— 紅と紺

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

Edo era

Pale Blue & Vermillion— 浅葱と朱

The faded blue of Shinsengumi jackets against shrine-gate vermillion — restrained power.

Muromachi era

Celadon & Unbleached— 青磁と生成

Celadon pottery green beside the unbleached warmth of raw silk.

Edo era

Indigo Blue & Silver— 縹と銀

Mid-grade indigo with the quiet sheen of silver — an understated Edo merchant robe.

Muromachi era

Grass Yellow & Rikyū Grey— 刈安と利休鼠

Wild grass yellow tempered by the muted grey favored by the tea master Sen no Rikyū.

Heian era

Royal Purple & Silver— 紫と銀

Imperial purple set against lunar silver — Heian courtly luxury at its quietest.

See the full color palettes for websites collection →

Related combinations

Three palettes with a similar feel.

Showa era

Yellow Orange & Dark Tyrian Blue

Plate 2 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Yellow Orange, Dark Tyrian Blue.

Showa era

Isabella Color & Red Violet

Plate 4 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Isabella Color, Red Violet.

Showa era

Isabella Color & Green Blue

Plate 12 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Isabella Color, Green Blue.

Buffy Citrine & Dull Blue Violet

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

Pale Blue & Vermillion— 浅葱と朱

Celadon & Unbleached— 青磁と生成

Indigo Blue & Silver— 縹と銀

Grass Yellow & Rikyū Grey— 刈安と利休鼠

Royal Purple & Silver— 紫と銀

Yellow Orange & Dark Tyrian Blue

Isabella Color & Red Violet

Isabella Color & Green Blue