Titian hair

A young woman with dark Titian hair.

Titian is a tint of red hair, most commonly described as brownish-orange in color.[1] More so, Titian hair is specifically a bright color, with a tint of golden-brown. It ranges in shades from medium to dark. Like most red hair, it is commonly associated with fair skin and often blue or green eyes.

Etymology

The term originates from Titian, an Italian painter who would often depict women with red hair of this description. Titian has been used as a hair color term in the United States as early as the 1800s, when women commonly using henna to dye their hair a Titian color. From 1961 until 1966, all red-haired Barbie dolls were officially labelled "Titian", with Midge being the staple for the variant. Midge's packaging illustration featured this hair color, while the original Barbie character was typically given blonde hair during this period.

Discrepancy

Madonna and Child (1510), by Titian

Titian is commonly misused as a synonym for hair colors with similar definitions or hues of color.

Titian hair is frequently mistaken with what is called Venetian hair due to similar definitions and origins. Definitions of Venetian hair describe it as being reddish and golden in quality, but the distinction between the two is that Titian is a golden-brown, and Venetian a golden-yellow. The two are also often referred to as Titian-red and Venetian-blond, respectively, to emphasize the distinction.[2][3] The origins of the formulas to create these hair colors by dyeing are also the same.[4] As the Venetian women had more methods to lighten their hair,[4] the term Venetian has become specifically associated with the blond variety.

The term Titian is sometimes misapplied to auburn hair. While Titian hair is a brownish shade of red hair, auburn hair is a brownish shade of hair encompassing the actual color red. Most definitions of Titian hair describe it as a brownish-orange color,[5] but some describe it as being reddish.[6] This is in reference to red hair itself, not the color red.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Titian" in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary
  2. ↑ Sutherland, Daniel E. "The Expansion of Everyday Life, 1860-1876". University of Arkansas Press. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  3. ↑ Browne, Kreiser, Ray Broadus, Lawrence A. "The Civil War and Reconstruction". Greenwood Publishing Group. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  4. 1 2 Sherrow, Victoria. "Encyclopedia of Hair: A Cultural History". Greenwood Publishing Group. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  5. ↑ "Titian" in The Free Dictionary
  6. ↑ "Titian" on Dictionary.com
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