Here is a gorgeous warm earth color for Thanksgiving week. Gamboge is a deep yellow/pale orange color of tremendous antiquity. By ancient tradition, Theravada monks dye their robes this distinctive color to show their devotion to the middle path. The color is named after the Latin word for Cambodia, “Gambogia”, which was (and is) a center of Theravada spirituality as well as a major source of milky sap from Gamboge trees (genus Garcinia). Such sap is dried into a brown gum resin which is the main constituent of gamboge dye.
Because the color plays such a large role in the religious life of South Asia, it is well known throughout the world. Gamboge is a lovely and vibrant color in its own right—a perfect medium between orange and yellow. All sorts of animals, fruit, and flowers can be described as gamboge. Although Thanksgiving has no color scheme per say, the fallen autumn leaves usually inspire decorations in some combination of gamboge, sienna, and russet.
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November 25, 2013 at 11:15 PM
A Man Called Da-da (@AManCalledDada)
Makes Da-da wonder if gamboge was in David Lynch’s mind when he conceived of the “Fire Walk With Me” term, “garmonbozia,” which referred to the physical embodiment of human pain and suffering — manifested as creamed corn, of all things — that creepy dancing dwarves and other nasty demi-entities love to ingest.
November 27, 2013 at 2:25 AM
Beatrix
Love this color!!!
My gallery has traditional Nepali mud walls – sort of a khaki/caramel color.
I found a bolt of hand loomed silk in a bargain alley in Thailand & made curtains for my gallery, sets off the jewel toned color in thangkas & paubhars beautifully.
Gamboge must differ a bit by color or country though, I bought a Chinese watercolor panting kit – the Chinese gamboge has a greenish tinge to it.