Russet is a dark brown color with a reddish-orange tinge. As a

tertiary color A secondary color is a color made by mixing two primary colors of a given color model in even proportions. Combining two secondary colors in the same manner produces a tertiary color. Secondary colors are special in traditional color theory, ...

, russet is an equal mix of orange and purple pigments. The first recorded use of russet as a color name in English was in 1562. The source of this color is ''The ISCC-NBS Method of Designating Colors and a Dictionary of Color Names'' (1955) used by stamp collectors to identify the colors of stamps. However, it is widely considered hard to standardize, and the same vary name could be applied to various tones; ''russet'' often has no more specific meaning than ''ruddy'' or ''reddish''. The name of this color derives from russet, a coarse cloth made of wool and dyed with

woad ''Isatis tinctoria'', also called woad (), dyer's woad, dyer's-weed, or glastum, is a flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae (the mustard family) with a documented history of use as a blue dye and medicinal plant. Its genus name, ''Isati ...

and madder to give it a subdued grey or reddish-brown shade. By the statute of 1363, poor English people were required to wear russet. Russet, a color of

autumn Autumn, also known as fall (especially in US & Canada), is one of the four temperate seasons on Earth. Outside the tropics, autumn marks the transition from summer to winter, in September (Northern Hemisphere) or March ( Southern Hemisphe ...

, is often associated with sorrow or grave seriousness. Anticipating a lifetime of regret,

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...

's character Biron says in ''

Love's Labour's Lost ''Love's Labour's Lost'' is one of William Shakespeare's early comedies, believed to have been written in the mid-1590s for a performance at the Inns of Court before Queen Elizabeth I. It follows the King of Navarre and his three companions as ...

'', Act V, Scene 2: "Henceforth my wooing mind shall be express'd / In russet yeas and honest kersey noes." Russet is mentioned in a famous quote taken from a letter

Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English statesman, politician and soldier, widely regarded as one of the most important figures in British history. He came to prominence during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, initially ...

wrote to Sir William Spring in September 1643: "I had rather have a plain, russet-coated captain that knows what he fights for, and loves what he knows, han that which you call a gentleman and is nothing else. Cites Carlyle, ''Letters and Speeches of Oliver Cromwell''.

References

Tertiary colors Shades of brown {{Color-stub es:Bermejo (color)

See also

References