← Colour Lab
Rose Madder
#E32636 · click to copy
Warm
HEX
#E32636
RGB
227, 38, 54
CMYK
0%, 83%, 76%, 11%
Pigment
NR9, PR83
Lightfastness
Poor (IV) — historical rose madder fades notoriously; quinacridone alternatives rate I–II
Moods & Keywords
red
pink
romantic
soft
warm
nostalgic
Pigment & Material
NR9, PR83
Natural
Alizarin extracted from Rubia tinctorum (madder plant). One of the first synthetic dyes was alizarin crimson.
Origin & History
Rose madder comes from the madder plant, cultivated for over 5,000 years. Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans used it extensively. It was the primary red in European textiles until the discovery of synthetic alizarin in 1868 by Perkin and Graebe, which made natural madder economically obsolete.
Also Known As
Madder Lake
Garance
Alizarin Rose
Turkey Red
Psychology
Soft, romantic, and melancholic. Rose madder sits at the tender edge of red — it is the colour of fading roses, blushing skin, and summer dusk. More vulnerable than crimson, it speaks of transience and beauty.
In Culture
The Pre-Raphaelites were famously fond of rose madder for its luminosity and romantic associations. J.M.W. Turner used it extensively despite knowing it was fugitive — a deliberate acceptance of impermanence. Today it is sold as an "artist's colour" precisely because of its authentic historical character.
Natural Sources
Madder plant roots (Rubia tinctorum) — cultivated since antiquity in Egypt, Persia, India, and Europe. The roots are dried, ground, and the dye extracted with hot water. Alizarin and purpurin are the active colouring compounds.
Making It Yourself
Madder lake pigment (historical method):
1. Soak dried madder root in cold water overnight
2. Heat to 60°C (not boiling — destroys colour) for 1 hour
3. Strain carefully
4. Add alum solution to precipitate the lake pigment
5. Filter, dry, and grind
The resulting pigment ranges from orange-red to deep rose depending on pH and mordant used.
1. Soak dried madder root in cold water overnight
2. Heat to 60°C (not boiling — destroys colour) for 1 hour
3. Strain carefully
4. Add alum solution to precipitate the lake pigment
5. Filter, dry, and grind
The resulting pigment ranges from orange-red to deep rose depending on pH and mordant used.
Art Movements
Renaissance
Baroque
Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood
Impressionism
Famous Works
Ophelia
John Everett Millais, 1851–1852
La Grenouillère
Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 1869
The Fighting Temeraire
J.M.W. Turner, 1839
Available As
Winsor & Newton — Rose Madder Genuine (NR9) — authentic but fugitive
Daniel Smith — Quinacridone Rose (PV19) — lightfast replacement
Sennelier — Madder Lake
M. Graham — Rose Madder
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Colour data compiled with AI. Spot an error or have more to add? Leave a Note — ekphra reviews and updates.
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