Korean Cobalt Blue

Cobalt Blue is China's most globally influential color. In the Yuan Dynasty, Persian cobalt met Jingdezhen porcelain clay, creating stunning blue-and-white ware that spread along the Maritime Silk Road. A Yuan Dynasty blue-and-white jar sold for ¥230 million in 2005.

Japanese indigo is celebrated as "Japan Blue." Hokusai and Hiroshige's ukiyo-e extensively used this deep blue, stunning European artists after Japan's 1853 opening. Van Gogh collected Hiroshige prints, and "The Starry Night"'s swirling blues were directly influenced by "The Great Wave off Kanagawa." The 30+ step dyeing process transforms fabric from yellow-green to deep blue through oxidation.