Colour Story: Rose Madder

Though it may seem gentle, the pigment has a bold history. It has coloured everything from Egyptian tombs to Renaissance robes, and continues to make its mark in both traditional and contemporary art.

Origins of rose madder

Rose madder comes from the root of the Rubia tinctorum plant, which has been cultivated for thousands of years to create a natural red dye.

This dye was used as far back as ancient Egypt, where it coloured wall paintings and fabrics, including textiles found in the tombs of pharaohs.

In the 19th century, renowned colour expert George Field refined the production of rose madder, developing methods that improved the stability of the pigment and made it less prone to fading than earlier varieties.

Today, Winsor & Newton is the only company to make genuine rose madder pigment using Field’s original methods. Unlike modern substitutes, our Rose Madder Genuine is made directly from the madder plant, traditionally cultivated in Asia and Southern Europe, and produced in the same way it was over 200 years ago. No wonder it’s regularly cited as one of our most historically authentic colours.

Examples of rose madder in popular culture

In Stephen King's 1995 novel Rose Madder, the protagonist is drawn into a mysterious painting where a figure in a rose madder dress offers strength and guidance. The colour becomes a metaphor for transformation, feminine power and escape from trauma.

Costume designers for film and TV productions often draw on madder-like tones to bring historic characters to life. In period dramas like The Crown (2016) and Bridgerton (2020), gowns and military uniforms emulate madder-dyed fabrics of the past.

Indie videogame Gris (2018) makes frequent use of rose-pink tones to represent its themes of vulnerability and transformation.

How artists use rose madder

Rose madder is known for its softness and transparency – qualities that allow artists to create subtle layers of colour and glazes.

John Everett Millais, a key member of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, used madder-based pigments to create realistic skin tones and fabrics in works like Ophelia (1851–52). The warmth of rose madder helped him achieve a lifelike quality in his work.

In his painting Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose (1885–86), John Singer Sargent used madder-like tones to capture the warm, glowing light of paper lanterns and the surrounding flowers.

More recently, contemporary painters like Celia Paul have explored the emotional potential of muted pinks and reds. Her portraits and interiors often feature delicate rose tones to convey intimacy and quiet intensity.