The Dictionary of
Color Combinations

Showa era · refined · cool · austere

Pale King's Blue & Violet Blue

Plate 75 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Pale King's Blue, Violet Blue.

Pale King's Blue

#a7d4e4

Violet Blue

#40456a

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About this combination

Combination 75 of 348 in Wada's six-volume 1933 work. A two-colour pairing of Pale King's Blue, Violet Blue, as documented in the original plates.

Historical context

Plate 75 of Wada's 348 anchors Pale King's Blue and Violet Blue in the blue family — a 2-colour grouping with a refined, cool, austere character, recorded in Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations (six volumes; Seigensha Art Publishing 2010 reprint), and in the public domain by age. Its strongest pairing — Pale King's Blue on Violet Blue — reaches a contrast ratio of 5.79:1, meeting the WCAG AA bar for body text, so it holds up for text-on-colour layouts as well as decorative use.

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From the editorial · Long read

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Questions about Pale King's Blue & Violet Blue

What colors are in the "Pale King's Blue & Violet Blue" palette?
Pale King's Blue & Violet Blue contains 2 colors: Pale King's Blue (#a7d4e4), Violet Blue (#40456a). From Sanzo Wada's "A Dictionary of Color Combinations" (1933).
When was the "Pale King's Blue & Violet Blue" palette created?
This palette is from Sanzo Wada's 1933 reference work "A Dictionary of Color Combinations" (Seigensha Art Publishing 2010 reprint). The source work is in the public domain.
What style or era does the "Pale King's Blue & Violet Blue" palette belong to?
Pale King's Blue & Violet Blue is associated with the showa era and emphasizes blue tones. Plate 75 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Pale King's Blue, Violet Blue.
Can I use the "Pale King's Blue & Violet Blue" palette in my own design?
Yes. The source palette by Sanzo Wada (1933) is in the public domain. This page's curation and metadata are CC BY 4.0 licensed — attribution to colorcombinations.org appreciated but not required for the colors themselves.

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