The Dictionary of
Color Combinations

Showa era · refined · warm

Fawn & Cerulian Blue +1

Plate 125 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Fawn, Cerulian Blue, Violet Blue.

Fawn

#d1b0a7

Cerulian Blue

#0093a5

Violet Blue

#40456a

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About this combination

Combination 125 of 348 in Wada's six-volume 1933 work. A 3-colour grouping of Fawn, Cerulian Blue, Violet Blue, as documented in the original plates.

Historical context

Plate 125 of Wada's 348 anchors Fawn, Cerulian Blue and Violet Blue in the red family — a 3-colour grouping with a refined, warm 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 — Fawn on Violet Blue — reaches a contrast ratio of 4.60:1, 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 Fawn & Cerulian Blue +1

What colors are in the "Fawn & Cerulian Blue +1" palette?
Fawn & Cerulian Blue +1 contains 3 colors: Fawn (#d1b0a7), Cerulian Blue (#0093a5), Violet Blue (#40456a). From Sanzo Wada's "A Dictionary of Color Combinations" (1933).
When was the "Fawn & Cerulian Blue +1" 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 "Fawn & Cerulian Blue +1" palette belong to?
Fawn & Cerulian Blue +1 is associated with the showa era and emphasizes red tones. Plate 125 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Fawn, Cerulian Blue, Violet Blue.
Can I use the "Fawn & Cerulian Blue +1" 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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