Fun in the Sun

Fun In the Sun - A History of the Color Yellow 🌞☀️

It’s impossible to think of summer without the color yellow coming to mind—the color of sunshine, or a refreshing cup of lemonade to sip by the pool. Yellow isn’t only a symbol of beautiful summer vibes, though—it has a long and winding history, spending centuries falling in and out of favor with society.

Yellow is one of the oldest pigments we have. Yellow ochre pigment, made from clay, can be found in the cave paintings of Lascaux, which are over 17,000 years old. Yellow became a very prominent color in Ancient Egyptian culture due to their devotion to the Sun God, Ra. Yellow’s association with sunlight, as well as gold, lead to it being a prominent symbol of divinity. Images of the gods were often painted in yellow and gold to symbolize “the flesh of the sun.” In Imperial China, yellow was greatly associated with power, and reserved for only the emperor to wear.

In the Medieval and Early Modern periods, yellow became a symbol of treason and cowardice. This was reinforced by medicine at the time, since yellow bile—one of the four humors—was believed to cause aggressive behavior if one had an excess. In some societies, the houses of known traitors were painted yellow.

More recently, yellow has been valued for being a color that is still highly visible at a distance. For this reason, taxis, traffic signs, and many pieces of construction equipment are yellow. Yellow lighting is often used in spaces because it helps make things more visible, and is easier on the eyes than white or yellow light.

One of the most recognizable symbols in Western culture these days is the yellow smiley face. The yellow smiley face we know today was first seen in 1963, when it was designed by Harvey Ball for State Mutual Life Assurance Company, as a way to boost morale for their employees. The smiley face quickly spread from its humble origins, becoming a universal symbol, and making yellow the color of happiness.