What colors are in the "Hydrangea Red & Sulphine Yellow +1" palette?

Hydrangea Red & Sulphine Yellow +1 contains 3 colors: Hydrangea Red (#a94151), Sulphine Yellow (#c19f2c), Salvia Blue (#97acc8). From Sanzo Wada's "A Dictionary of Color Combinations" (1933).

When was the "Hydrangea Red & Sulphine Yellow +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 "Hydrangea Red & Sulphine Yellow +1" palette belong to?

Hydrangea Red & Sulphine Yellow +1 is associated with the showa era and emphasizes red tones. Plate 142 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Hydrangea Red, Sulphine Yellow, Salvia Blue.

Can I use the "Hydrangea Red & Sulphine Yellow +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.

Hydrangea Red & Sulphine Yellow +1

About this combination

Combination 142 of 348 in Wada's six-volume 1933 work. A 3-colour grouping of Hydrangea Red, Sulphine Yellow, Salvia Blue, as documented in the original plates.

Historical context

Plate 142 of Wada's 348 anchors Hydrangea Red, Sulphine Yellow and Salvia 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 — Hydrangea Red on Salvia Blue — reaches a contrast ratio of 2.54:1, below the WCAG text-contrast floor, so it reads best in decorative blocks rather than text pairings.

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Gansai Tambi 36

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Details

Era: Showa
Dominant hue: red
Moods: refined, warm
Colors: 3

Accessibility

WCAG contrast ratios between every color pair. Use the strongest combinations for text; the weakest ones make good decorative backgrounds.

Strongest pair: Hydrangea Red on Salvia Blue — 2.54:1 (Fail)

Hydrangea Red·Sulphine Yellow2.32:1Fail
Hydrangea Red·Salvia Blue2.54:1Fail
Sulphine Yellow·Salvia Blue1.10:1Fail

How to read this

AAA: Passes WCAG 2.1 AAA for normal text — the highest accessibility bar.
AA: Passes WCAG 2.1 AA for normal text. Standard production requirement.
AA Large: Passes WCAG 2.1 AA for large text only (18pt+ or 14pt+ bold). Avoid for body copy.
Fail: Below WCAG 2.1 AA. Fine for decorative use — not for text.

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Preview

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Questions about Hydrangea Red & Sulphine Yellow +1

What colors are in the "Hydrangea Red & Sulphine Yellow +1" palette?: Hydrangea Red & Sulphine Yellow +1 contains 3 colors: Hydrangea Red (#a94151), Sulphine Yellow (#c19f2c), Salvia Blue (#97acc8). From Sanzo Wada's "A Dictionary of Color Combinations" (1933).
When was the "Hydrangea Red & Sulphine Yellow +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 "Hydrangea Red & Sulphine Yellow +1" palette belong to?: Hydrangea Red & Sulphine Yellow +1 is associated with the showa era and emphasizes red tones. Plate 142 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Hydrangea Red, Sulphine Yellow, Salvia Blue.
Can I use the "Hydrangea Red & Sulphine Yellow +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.

Related combinations

Three palettes with a similar feel.

Showa era

Grenadine Pink & Deep Indigo

Plate 6 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Grenadine Pink, Deep Indigo.

Showa era

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Plate 17 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Eugenia Red | B, Sea Green.

Hydrangea Red & Sulphine Yellow +1

About this combination

Historical context

Taking Hydrangea Red & Sulphine Yellow +1 off the screen

Color Bridge Guide Set — coated & uncoated

ColorChecker Studio spectrophotometer

Gansai Tambi 36

Embed this palette

Take this palette into Figma, Adobe or Procreate

The Four Reds: Kurenai, Akane, Shu, Entan

Find partner colors for each tone in this palette.

Other palettes in Color Palettes for Websites.

Crimson & Navy— 紅と紺

Pale Blue & Vermillion— 浅葱と朱

Celadon & Unbleached— 青磁と生成

Indigo Blue & Silver— 縹と銀

Grass Yellow & Rikyū Grey— 刈安と利休鼠

Royal Purple & Silver— 紫と銀

Questions about Hydrangea Red & Sulphine Yellow +1

Grenadine Pink & Deep Indigo

Vandyke Red & Pale King's Blue

Eugenia Red | B & Sea Green

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