Oasis, Art Photograph, Hugo Richardson
Green symbolises life, fertility, and renewal. It is widely recognised as a calming colour, often helping people feel at ease in unfamiliar environments.
God said, “Let the earth grow green with vegetation, plants yielding seed and trees bearing fruit, each according to its kind.” And it was so. The earth turned green with vegetation, plants yielded seeds and trees bore fruit, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. There was evening and there was morning; it was the third day. Genesis 1:11-13
Lake Wood, Northumberland, Art Photograph, Hugo Richardson
Interior designers frequently use green in public spaces, restaurants, and hotels because it creates a sense of calm and connection to nature.
Buildeo is an interior design company with clients that include Holiday Inn, Hilton and Formby Hall Golf Resort recommends green?based palettes for hotel lobbies.
Green, combined with elements such as fountains, waterfalls, or unusual plants, can evoke peace and tranquillity in a space for customer.
Thames Sluice, Henley-on-Thames, Art Photograph, Hugo Richardson
The Chelsea Flower Show featured strong themes of water and greenery, particularly in the ‘Ecotherapy Garden’ .
By contrast, yellow and red (as explored in earlier posts) stimulate energy and appetite which is why brands like KFC, McDonalds and Burger King use the yellow and red pallet.
Green has a long and layered history. It is created by mixing blue and yellow, and in some languages the same word is used for both green and blue.
In Ancient Egypt, green symbolised regeneration and rebirth. Artists ground malachite — a copper mineral — to create green pigment. Although beautiful, malachite darkened over time as it oxidised.
Malachite was used by the Ancient Egyptians for tomb decoration, but this fell out of use over time as it oxidised and went black over time.
The Ancient Romans produced green pigment by soaking copper plates in wine, creating verdigris, the green patina seen on aged metal.
Place de la Republique, Lille, France, Art Photograph, Hugo Richardson
Verdigris was used for mosaics and painting. This technique for green production was used through the medieval period where monks would use this pigment to paint scenes in illuminated manuscripts.
During the Renaissance, plants began to be used to make paint. However, the pigment from plants faded quickly.
Green is often associated with the Islamic religion, but this idea was only developed in the 12th Century. In the Quran green is mentioned eight times, always in a positive sense, as a colour of vegetation, spring and paradise.
Michel Pastoureau, described as a ‘historian born in colour’, and a master of medieval images, symbols and colour has written about this. A leading historian of colour, writes extensively about this in Green: The History of a Colour. He notes that green became a unifying and sacred colour for Muslims during the 1100s.That is why many copies of the Quran from the Middle Ages had green bindings, as they do today.
Michel Pastoureau has written a full book titled ‘Green – The History of a Colour – translated from the French by Jody Gladding.
Similarly, a great number of religious dignitaries wear green clothing. Muslims believe green is a “symbolism associated with paradise, happiness, riches, water, the sky and hope”.
In 1775, Swedish chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele created a vivid green pigment using arsenite — beautiful but highly toxic. It was used in wallpaper, clothing, toys, and art, and is believed to have contributed to Napoleon’s ill health during exile. The wallpaper in the room where he was exiled contained Scheele’s green.
More positively, green is restful, soothing, cheerful and health giving. Green is thought to relieve stress and help heal. Those who have a green work environment experience fewer stomach aches.
Green landscape photography — available in a range of sizes — can bring these calming qualities into a room. Please feel free to contact me if you’d like help selecting images for your professional space at Image Memory.
Landscape, Goudhurst, Kent, Art Photograph, Hugo Richardson
Green is the colour of balance and harmony and can, therefore, be helpful in times of stress.
So many of us are exposed to the glare of electronic screens on a daily basis. Prolonged use of computers have been noted as having an aggravating impact on tinnitus.
Many of us spend long hours in front of electronic screens, which can aggravate conditions such as tinnitus. Research indicates that exposure to green environments may lower blood pressure and heart rate, supporting recovery and relaxation. If you click on this text area, you will see evidence that green stimulates recovery and relaxation and has a positive impact upon mental health.
Sulhampstead Cattle Bridge, Kennet Canal, Art Photograph, Hugo Richardson
Colour-chakra theory from Hindu scriptures adds green; strengthens bones and muscles, disinfects bacteria and virus, and relieves tension; used to treat malaria, back problems and blood pressure.
Goldstein asserts “under the influence of green (as with blue) light, time is likely to be underestimated.” “Also, weights will be judged lighter.”
Theale Lagoon, Theale, Art Photograph, Hugo Richardson
Negative associations:
Boredom, stagnation, envy, blandness, enervation, sickness
Positive Associations : (source: Envato Pty. Ltd.)
Health, hope, freshness, nature, growth, prosperity
hugo.richardson@image-memory.com
Tel.: 07476 343 777
Next week in the Psychology of Colour series – Pink
