What colors are in the "Pompeian Red & Olympic Blue +2" palette?

Pompeian Red & Olympic Blue +2 contains 4 colors: Pompeian Red (#ab2439), Olympic Blue (#5a82b3), Aconite Violet (#a36aa5), Neutral Gray (#b6bfc1). From Sanzo Wada's "A Dictionary of Color Combinations" (1933).

When was the "Pompeian Red & Olympic Blue +2" 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 "Pompeian Red & Olympic Blue +2" palette belong to?

Pompeian Red & Olympic Blue +2 is associated with the showa era and emphasizes red tones. Plate 324 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Pompeian Red, Olympic Blue, Aconite Violet, Neutral Gray.

Can I use the "Pompeian Red & Olympic Blue +2" 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.

Pompeian Red & Olympic Blue +2 — The Dictionary of Color Combinations

About this combination

Combination 324 of 348 in Wada's six-volume 1933 work. A 4-colour grouping of Pompeian Red, Olympic Blue, Aconite Violet, Neutral Gray, 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: refined, warm, bold
Colors: 4

Accessibility

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

Strongest pair: Pompeian Red on Neutral Gray — 3.68:1 (AA Large)

Pompeian Red·Olympic Blue1.73:1Fail
Pompeian Red·Aconite Violet1.70:1Fail
Pompeian Red·Neutral Gray3.68:1AA Large
Olympic Blue·Aconite Violet1.02:1Fail
Olympic Blue·Neutral Gray2.12:1Fail
Aconite Violet·Neutral Gray2.17:1Fail

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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Pompeian Red & Olympic Blue +2

About this combination

Historical context

Embed this palette

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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

Red Orange & Pale Lemon Yellow +2

Eosine Pink & Burnt Sienna +2

Light Brown Drab & Vinaceous Tawny +2