Our knowledge of traditional practice and the contemporary art scene means we’re well equipped to advise you on the best purple art for sale. Want to buy purple art but not sure how? Start out by browsing our Purple Paintings, Purple Prints or Purple Drawings.
The colour purple is rare in nature and has therefore taken on strong symbolic meanings in cultures throughout the world. Because of the scarcity of this pigment, it has come to be associated with wealth, luxury and royalty, as well as being considered sacred in certain cultures. While art from as far back as the prehistoric Neolithic Era has been found to include purple pigments, it has in general been an uncommon shade throughout the history of art.
Purple became particularly popular among the Pre-Raphaelite painters of 19th Century Britain. This small band of painters was united by a desire to revitalise painting in Britain through their use of a unique colour palette. Their signature shade of purple was created by mixing cobalt blue with the pigment madder, creating a characteristic look that is immediately recognisable.
See the power of purple through the eyes of Richard Storey, a British artist who takes nudes as his primary subject. With generous use of purple pigments, Storey paints his subjects with overlapping and wandering lines. In doing so, he manages to capture the movement of these forms rather than presenting them as static entities.