Venetian red

American  

noun

1. a red pigment, originally prepared from a natural oxide of iron, now usually made by calcining a mixture of lime and ferrous sulfate.

2. a dark shade of orangish red.

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Venetian red British  

noun

1. natural or synthetic ferric oxide used as a red pigment

2. 1. a moderate to strong reddish-brown colour

   2. ( as adjective )

      a Venetian-red coat

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Etymology

Origin of Venetian red

First recorded in 1745–55

Example Sentences

But the painter has drenched the rest of the space — walls, floor and furniture — in Venetian red.

From Washington Post • Jun. 22, 2022

The painting was unusual for its time — representing identifiable objects awash in a flat monochrome surface of Venetian red, combining the figurative with the abstract and dismantling the illusion of depth.

From New York Times • Sep. 12, 2021

“FROM CHILDHOOD, I was drawn to old houses,” says Lumley, sitting at the top of his house, in a room painted Venetian red.

From New York Times • Sep. 10, 2018

Whatever animals are to be excluded, may be marked on the shoulder with Venetian red and hog’s lard, conveniently applied with a brush or cob.

From Sheep, Swine, and Poultry Embracing the History and Varieties of Each; The Best Modes of Breeding; Their Feeding and Management; Together with etc. by Jennings, Robert

Formerly Venetian red, umber, peroxide of iron, and even brick-dust, were employed to produce a cheaper article, but modern science and legislation combined have rendered such practices almost impossible.

From The Food of the Gods A Popular Account of Cocoa by Head, Brandon