Red is the color that best represents energy and warmth and which has had various uses and interpretations over the centuries. Its story is full of shades and curious facts, some of which involve Venice, too: here’s why.

The origins of the color red

Red is one of the first colors our Paleolithic forefathers used to paint cave walls, together with black and white. Almost all ancient peoples employed it, from the Egyptians to the Phoenicians, who first created purple. Ancient Roman brides wore red shawls to symbolize love and fidelity, and Rome’s villas were bursting with frescoes featuring an extremely intense shade of red, vermilion.

At that time, though, the production of this tone required cinnabar, a mineral containing mercury and therefore highly toxic. So being sentenced to work in the mines where cinnabar was extracted was, in fact, a death sentence.

With the advent of Christianity, red became the color of Christ’s blood and, as a consequence, a very popular hue in icons and on public-worship textiles. Take, for example, the cardinals: they’re dressed completely in red to indicate they’re willing to give their lives to martyrdom.

Cristo in trono - Cima da Conegliano

“Christ Enthroned” by Cima da Conegliano (1505) – Pushkin Museum, Moscow

Medieval royals frequently used this color, as well, since they wanted to clearly state that their right to rule derived directly from God’s will. That’s why throne rooms almost all over Europe are decorated in red: you can see an example of it in Dresden’s Royal Palace, whose audience chamber is covered in our handmade red Unito velvet. But red didn’t charm only European kings: from the Zhou Dynasty (11th century BC) to the Ming Dynasty (17th century), many Chinese emperors chose this color for their garments and palaces to bring prosperity and good luck to their reigns.

Audience Chamber – Royal Palace of Dresden

So red became a symbol of authority, power and wealth: this is why Venetian Senators started wearing it, too, during the 17th century. But we need to take a short step back in time to understand which role this color played in Venice.

Venice and red dyes

When new routes to Asia and the Middle East were opened, during the 15th century, streams of pigments to create red invaded Europe. For the clothes of merchants and craftsmen, there was common madder (Rubia tinctorum), a plant that provided a sort of brick red.

Only the wealthy could afford textiles dyed using kermes, made from the dried bodies of a huge number of female cochineals, tiny parasitic insects living on plants.

Venice was the main route by which these pigments reached Europe. But the situation changed dramatically during the 16th century. This is because the Spaniards discovered that the color of Mexican Aztecs’ fabrics was much brighter and more intense than the European shade, although it was derived from cochineal. But why then? Because Mexican cochineal contains a higher percentage of carminic acid, the pigment that produces red.

For a while, Venetians tried to ban the pigment derived from the foreign insect, but there was simply nothing to do: the new dye had a matchless effect on fabrics. So, the Spaniards replaced Venice as the main exporter of red dyes around Europe.

Red upholstery fabrics: our catalogue’s shades

Today all these pigments have been replaced by synthetic dyes, which provide us with a wide range of shades, just like the ones in our catalogue.

  • In its most classical shade, our red is a light tone that conveys warmth and a touch of color that can instantly catch one’s eye.
  • An original alternative to this classical shade is ibisco (hibiscus), another bright tone which is more intense and produces incredible iridescent effects on velvets.
  • The antique red variant is a bit darker, elegant and with a vintage flair.
  • The corallo (coral) tone inspires a genuine sense of energy and liveliness.
  • Pomegranate, finally, is a dark tone, extremely elegant and ideal for creating a contrast in a room full of neutral and light colors.

Below, you will find a presentation of our fabrics in all shades of red sorted by type: velvets, animalier velvets, multicolored velvets, heddle velvets, damasks, brocatelles, satins, lampases.

Velvets

Velluto Ardis ibisco | Tessitura Bevilacqua

Ardis – Ibisco

Velluto Bestiario ibisco 650-3339 | Tessitura Bevilacqua

Bestiario – Ibisco

Velluto Caccia ibisco 650-3349d | Tessitura Bevilacqua

Caccia – Ibisco

Velluto Da Vinci ibisco 650-39243d | Tessitura Bevilacqua

Da Vinci – Ibisco

Velluto Griglia ibisco 650-3162d | Tessitura Bevilacqua

Griglia – Ibisco

Velluto Onda ibisco 650-3739 | Tessitura Bevilacqua

Onda – Ibisco

Velluto Palmyra ibisco | Tessitura Bevilacqua

Palmyra – Ibisco

Velluto Radica ibisco 650-3840 | Tessitura Bevilacqua

Radica – Ibisco

Velluto Senatori ibisco 650-3970d | Tessitura Bevilacqua

Senatori – Ibisco

Velluto Unito ibisco 650-3800 | Tessitura Bevilacqua

Unito – Ibisco

Velluto Zig Zag ibisco 650-3975 | Tessitura Bevilacqua

Zig Zag – Ibisco

Animal Velvets

Velluto Coccodrillo 090-3886 rosso | Tessitura Bevilacqua

Coccodrillo – red

Velluto Leopardo Ibisco 650-440 | Tessiture Bevilacqua

Leopardo – Ibisco

Velluto animale Leopardo 444-440 rosso shiné | Tessitura Bevilacqua

Leopardo – Red Shiné

Velluto Tigre Ibisco 650-441 | Tessiture Bevilacqua

Tigre – Ibisco

Velluto Tigre 444-441 rosso shiné | Tessiture Bevilacqua

Tigre – Red Shiné

Multicoloured Velvets

Velluto Fioroni 002-30771 Multicolore Rosso | Tessiture Bevilacqua

Fioroni – red multicolour Ivory ground

Fresie Multicolore Rosso

Fresie – red multicolour Ivory ground

Velluto Giardino Antico multicolore turchese 012-32248 | Tessiture Bevilacqua

GIARDINO ANTICO – red multicolour

Velluto Grottesche petrolio 068-3135 | Tessitura Bevilacqua

Grottesche – Red

Heddle Velvets

Velluto Caccia 004-3349 granata | Tessiture Bevilacqua

Caccia – pomegranate

Velluto Caccia 050-3349 rosso | Tessiture Bevilacqua

Caccia – red

Velluto Cardi 004-3335 granata | Tessiture Bevilacqua

Cardi – pomegranate

Velluto Cardi 070-3335 rosso | Tessiture Bevilacqua

Cardi – red

Velluto Da Vinci 340-39243 rosso | Tessitura Bevilacqua

Da Vinci – Red

Velluto bacchetta Fiere 004-3973S granata | Tessiture Bevilacqua

Fiere – pomegranate

Velluto bacchetta Fiere 060-3973S rosso | Tessiture Bevilacqua

Fiere – Red

Velluto bacchetta Gotico 330-3945S rosso | Tessiture Bevilacqua

Gotico – Red

Velluto bacchetta Lancé 010-3370S rosso | Tessiture Bevilacqua

Lancé – Red

Velluto Griglia 107-3162 indaco | Tessiture Bevilacqua

Leoni Bizantini – pomegranate

Velluto bacchetta Mosaico 400-3587S multicolore rosso | Tessiture Bevilacqua

Mosaico Lancé – Multicolour Red

Velluto bacchetta Lancé 017-3370S indaco | Tessiture Bevilacqua

Righe Piccole – red

Velluto bacchetta Rinascimento 200-39361S rosso | Tessiture Bevilacqua

Rinascimento – red

Velluto Senatori 080-3970 rosso | Tessitura Bevilacqua

Senatori – red

Velluto bacchetta Taccheggiato 341-3946S azzurro | Tessiture Bevilacqua

Taccheggiato – pomegranate

Velluto bacchetta Taccheggiato 340-3946S rosso | Tessiture Bevilacqua

Taccheggiato – red

Velluto bacchetta Torcello 130-3940S rosso | Tessiture Bevilacqua

Torcello – Red

Damasks

Damasco 31026 244-31026 rosso | Tessiture Bevilacqua

“31026” – Red

Damasco 31089 corallo | Tessitura Bevilacqua

“31089 R” Craquelé – Corallo

Damasco Craquelé 144-31089R rosso-oro | Tessiture Bevilacqua

“31089 R” Craquelé – red – gold

Damasco Bizar 164-3936 rosso | Tessiture Bevilacqua

Bizar – Red

Damasco Fenice 174-31061 rosso | Tessiture Bevilacqua

Fenice – red

Damasco Giardino Craquele 33077 corallo-oro | Tessitura Bevilacqua

GIARDINO CRAQUELÉ – Corallo – gold

Damasco Craquelé Giardino 144-33077 rosso-oro | Tessiture Bevilacqua

GIARDINO CRAQUELÉ – Red – gold

Damasco Grottesche Craquelé 354-31035 rosso | Tessiture Bevilacqua

GROTTESCHE – red

Damasco Termidoro 084-3691 rosso-beige | Tessiture Bevilacqua

Termidoro – Red – Beige

Brocatelles

Broccatello Acanto rosso 106-34895 | Tessitura Bevilacqua

Acanto – Red

Broccatello Copenhagen 014-32431 rosso | Tessitura Bevilacqua

Copenhagen – red

Broccatello Fiere 024-32973 rosso | Tessitura Bevilacqua

Fiere – red

Broccatello Giardino rosso 106-34248 | Tessiture Bevilacqua

Giardino – Red

Broccatello Giardino Antico 107-32438 rosso antico | Tessitura Bevilacqua

Giardino – antique red

Broccatello Griccia rosso antico 106-34293 | Tessitura Bevilacqua

Griccia – antique red

Broccatello Grottesche 107-34135 rosso antico | Tessitura Bevilacqua

Grottesche – antique red

Broccatello Rinascimento 106-34361 rosso | Tessitura Bevilacqua

Rinascimento – Red

Broccatello Rinascimento 107-34361 rosso antico | Tessitura Bevilacqua

Rinascimento – antique red

Broccatello Sagredo corallo | Tessitura Bevilacqua

Sagredo – Corallo

Broccatello Sagredo rosso 074-32334 | Tessiture Bevilacqua

Sagredo – Red

Broccatello Senatori corallo 094-3470 | Tessitura Bevilacqua

Senatori – Corallo

Broccatello Senatori rosso 194-3470 | Tessiture Bevilacqua

Senatori – Red

Broccatello Serto 106-34355 rosso | Tessiture Bevilacqua

Serto – Red

Broccatello Serto 107-34355 rosso antico | Tessiture Bevilacqua

Serto – antique red

Satins

Raso Goffrato 094-277 corallo | Tessiture Bevilacqua

Goffrato – Corallo

Raso Goffrato 054-277 rosso | Tessitura Bevilacqua

Goffrato – Red

Raso Unito 094-540 corallo | Tessiture Bevilacqua

Unito – Corallo

Raso Unito 244-540 rosso | Tessitura Bevilacqua

Unito – Red

Lampases

Lampasso Bizar 094-3937 corallo lamé | Tessitura Bevilacqua

Bizar – Corallo lamé

Lampasso Bizar 164-3937 rosso lamé | Tessiture Bevilacqua

Bizar – Red lamé

Lampasso Broccato 044-35139 rosso | Tessiture Bevilacqua

Broccato – Red

Lampasso Broccato 094-35139 corallo | Tessiture Bevilacqua

Broccato – Corallo

Lampasso Fiamma multicolore corallo | Tessiture Bevilacqua

Fiamma – Multicolour corallo

Lampasso Maja corallo 094-3923 | Tessitura Bevilacqua

Maja – Corallo

Lampasso Melograno corallo | Tessitura Bevilacqua

Melograno – Corallo

Lampasso Melograno 244-33990S rosso | Tessiture Bevilacqua

Melograno – Red

Lampasso Paesaggio corallo 094-39040 | Tessitura Bevilacqua

Paesaggio – Corallo

Lampasso Svezia corallo 094-3380 | Tessiture Bevilacqua

Svezia – Corallo

Lampasso Svezia 024-3380 rosso | Tessiture Bevilacqua

Svezia – Red

Lampasso Three Crowns 094-3334 corallo | Tessiture Bevilacqua

Three Crowns – Corallo

Lampasso Three Crowns 614-3334 rosso | Tessiture Bevilacqua

Three Crowns – Red

Lampasso Uccelli 094-34214 corallo | Tessitura Bevilacqua

Uccelli – Corallo

Lampasso Uccelli 304-34214 rosso | Tessiture Bevilacqua

Uccelli – red

Lampasso Walls corallo 094-34400 | Tessiture Bevilacqua

Walls – Corallo

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