Titian hair explained
Titian is a tint of red hair, most commonly described as brownish-orange in color.[1]
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 were commonly using henna to dye their hair a Titian color.
Discrepancy
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-blond. 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. Whereas 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.
Characters in popular culture with Titian hair
| Titian Red |
| C: | 0 |
| M: | 54 |
| Y: | 83 |
| K: | 26 |
| H: | 21 |
| S: | 83 |
| V: | 74 |
| R: | 189 |
| G: | 86 |
| B: | 32 |
| Hex: | BD5620 |
| Source: | RAL Colours[7] |
- Nancy Drew, titular character of the mystery fiction series of books, was described as and depicted with Titian hair from 1959 to 1960.[8]
- Midge, the Barbie doll, has Titian hair. From 1961 until 1967, Mattel offered Titian hair for dolls, with Midge being the staple for the variant.[9] Midge's packaging illustration featured this hair color, whereas the original Barbie character was typically given blonde hair.
- Dana Scully (played by Gillian Anderson), from The X-Files, has naturally Titian hair, as confirmed by Chris Carter, the show's creator, on Reddit in 2014.[10] Scully was seen with this shade in earlier seasons of the series before being shown with a more fiery, dyed shade of red hair in later years.
Notes and References
- http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/titian "Titian" in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary
- Book: Sutherland, Daniel E.. The Expansion of Everyday Life, 1860-1876. 1993. University of Arkansas Press. 9781610751452. 29 October 2013.
- Book: Browne, Kreiser, Ray Broadus, Lawrence A.. The Civil War and Reconstruction. 2003. Greenwood Publishing Group. 9780313313257. 29 October 2013.
- Book: Sherrow, Victoria. Encyclopedia of Hair: A Cultural History. 2006. registration. 331. titian.. Greenwood Publishing Group. 9780313331459. 29 October 2013.
- http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Vecellio+Titian "Titian" in The Free Dictionary
- http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/titian "Titian" on Dictionary.com
- Web site: Colour RAL 050 50 60 _ Titian red _ RAL colour chart UK . RAL Colours . RAL . 31 December 2022.
- Book: Plunkett-Powell, Karen. en. The Nancy Drew Scrapbook: 60 years of America's favorite teenage sleuth. St. Martin's Press. 1993. 48. 0-312-09881-2.
- Web site: Caent. Emily. THE HISTORY OF TITIAN BARBIES. Zala. 23 March 2017.
- https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/1z4a8e/i_am_chris_carter_creator_of_the_xfiles/cfqd5ux Chris Carter AMA Reddit 2014
