Puce
| Puce (U.S.) | |
|---|---|
 Color coordinates |
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| Hex triplet | #CC8899 |
| sRGBB (r, g, b) | (206, 36, 10) |
| CMYKH (c, m, y, k) | (0, 33, 25, 20) |
| HSV (h, s, v) | (345°, 33%, 80%) |
| Source | [1] |
| B: Normalized to [0–255] (byte) H: Normalized to [0–100] (hundred) |
|
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Look up puce in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. |
Puce (often misspelled as "puse", "peuse" or "peuce") is defined in the United States as a brownish-purple color.[1]
In the UK, puce is defined as a purple brown or a dark red.[2] In France, where it was invented, puce is described as a rather dark reddish brown.[3]
The color on the map below is close to the common American version. The color in the color box at right and the colors in the color boxes at right below in the variations section are some of the various shades and varieties of puce.
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The color regarded as puce is a medium brownish purple in the U.S. (similar to the color shown on the map), a reddish brownish purple in the U.K., and a darker shade of reddish brown in France.
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Etymology [edit]
Puce is the French word for flea. The color is said to be the color of the bloodstains remaining on linen or bedsheets, even after being laundered, from a flea's droppings or after a flea has been killed.
The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) dates the first English use of "puce" as a color to 1787.[4] The name comes from the French word puce, or flea, which comes from the Latin words for flea, pulicem or pulex. According to the Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, the first French use of puce as a color name, meaning "flea-color," dates to the 17th century. [5] A different source dates he first French use of puce as a color name to the 14th century.[6]
History [edit]
The color puce became popular in the late 18th century in France. It was worn at the Court of Louis XVI, and was said to be a favorite color of Marie Antoinette, though there are no portraits of her wearing it.
Puce was also a popular fashion color in 19th century Paris. In one of his novels, Emile Zola described a woman "dressed in a gown of a dark color...between puce and the color of goose excrement (caca d'oie)." [7]
Lately, the tones of puce have become popular among those in the Goth subculture.
Variations of puce [edit]
Puce red [edit]
| Puce (U.K.) | |
|---|---|
| Color coordinates |
|
| Hex triplet | #722F37 |
| sRGBB (r, g, b) | (114, 47, 55) |
| CMYKH (c, m, y, k) | (0, 59, 52, 55) |
| HSV (h, s, v) | (353°, 59%, 45[8]%) |
| Source | ISCC-NBS |
| B: Normalized to [0–255] (byte) H: Normalized to [0–100] (hundred) |
|
Puce red is the color that is called puce in the ISCC-NBS color list.
This tone of puce corresponds to the color that is regarded as "puce" in the United Kingdom, as described in the dictionary definitions above.
Since this color has a hue code of 353, it is a slightly purplish red.
The source of this color is: ISCC-NBS Dictionary of Color Names (1955)--Color Sample of Puce (color sample #16)
French puce [edit]
| Puce (France) | |
|---|---|
| Color coordinates |
|
| Hex triplet | #4E1609 |
| sRGBB (r, g, b) | (78, 22, 9) |
| CMYKH (c, m, y, k) | (0, 72, 88, 69) |
| HSV (h, s, v) | (11°, 79%, 17%) |
| Source | Pourpre.com |
| B: Normalized to [0–255] (byte) H: Normalized to [0–100] (hundred) |
|
At right is displayed the color French puce, which is the tone of puce that is called puce in the Pourpre.com color list, a color list widely popular in France.
Puce in popular culture [edit]
Bottle collecting
- In the vintage-bottle-collecting hobby, "puce" is arguably the most desirable color.[9]
Comics
- A collection of Walt Kelly's influential Pogo comics was called "The Pogo Puce Stamp Catalog". It had a puce cover.
- In the Dilbert comic strip, the boss's favorite color is puce, but he does not know that because he is mistakenly thinking of a primary color, as he does not know what puce is.[10]
Games
- In the computer game NetHack potions are randomly generated with different colors or other descriptions; one of the colors is puce.
- In the board/card game The Great Khan Game by Tom Wham and Richard Hamblen issued by TSR, Inc. exists a mercenary card called "Admiral of the Puce Oliver Hazerdous".
- In the sandbox computer game Dwarf Fortress procedurally generated monsters can be attributed the color puce.
- In the computer game Stronghold Crusader A randomly generated name of an adversary "the Rat" is sometimes "Duc de Puce".
Film
- Kenneth Anger directed a short film called Puce Moment (1949).
- Spencer Tracy's character in the romantic comedy film Desk Set (1957) is on the telephone taking down a coworker's message for a "black velvet strapless..with what kind of a scarf.."Puce?!!"..I know how to spell it."
- The fantasy film Santa Claus: The Movie (1985) referenced "puce" for the color the magic lollipops that made children fly, including a humorous remark about it: "If this ever takes off, we could make this in liquid form: Puce Juice."
- In the made-for-TV movie Dance 'til Dawn (1988), the prom theme is "Paris in Puce."[11] The theme is chosen by Christina Applegate's character, who also wears a puce gown, so that she can be "the only girl here who goes with the room."[12]
- Anton Yelchin wears puce sneakers in the remake of the movie, Fright Night (2011 film).
- In the 2001 Pixar[13] film Monsters, Inc.,[14] Mike Wazowski pleads with James P. "Sully" Sullivan to finish his scare-floor paperwork so Mike could make his date with Celia. Sully agrees and discovers "puce" as one of the colors of the forms to be filled out. The puce folder is supposed to be left by Sullivan.
History
- French Queen Marie Antoinette's (1755–1793) favorite color was puce.[15]
Literature
- In the King Arthur legends, Sir Gareth fights Sir Perymones, who is a knight called The Puce Knight.[16][17]
- In Ulysses, Stephen Dedalus wants "puce gloves" to go with his "latin quarter hat."
- Robert Graves' novella, Antigua, Penny, Puce (London, 1936; New York, 1937).
Music
- In the song "A more humane Mikado (Let the Punishment Fit the Crime)" in the comic opera The Mikado (1885) by Gilbert and Sullivan, the title character sings of the dire fate of the woman "who stains her gray hair puce".
- In the song "I Love to Color" from his children's album Pockets, Joe Wise talks at length about the characteristics and uses of the color puce.
Television
- In the PBS kids television show Cyberchase (2002–2010), antagonist "The Hacker" often refers to puce as his favorite color, being the shade of choice for both his space ship and cape.
- In the episode "Comet Kermilian" (2008) of the Disney Channel animated comedy television series Phineas and Ferb (since 2008), Linda references having a puce awareness ribbon for Antidisestablishmentarianism.
- In episode 26 of The Golden Girls, Rose proclaims Blanche's pregnancy test to be puce in color, and that she once had drapes that color.
- In the episode of Diff'rent Strokes "The Model," a commentator for a fashion show says that an outfit being modeled is available in blue, green, and puce. Arnold says, "What's puce?" and Mr. Drummond responds, "Expensive purple."
See also [edit]
References [edit]
- ^ Webster's New World Dictionary of the American Language, College Edition, 1964
- ^ Oxford English Dictionary
- ^ "Brun rouge assez foncé." Le Petit Robert (1988).
- ^ Oxford English Dictionary See entry on Puce
- ^ The Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, (1966) Oxford University Press
- ^ Maerz and Paul A Dictionary of Color New York:1930 McGraw-Hill Page 202; Color Sample of Puce: Page 37 Plate 7 Color Sample H4 (The color shown in the color sample is about halfway between the American version and the U.K. version.)
- ^ "Vétue d'une robe sobre...entre le puce et le caca d'oie." Le Petit Robert.
- ^ web.forret.com Color Conversion Tool set to hex code #722F37 (Puce Red):
- ^ von Mechow, Tod (September 30, 2010). "Bottle Attributes – Beer Bottle Colors". Soda & Beer Bottles of North America. Retrieved October 18, 2011.
- ^ Adams, Scott (c). Dilbert. August 17, 1993. Official Dilbert comic strips Archive.
- ^ "Topic: Puce". eNotes. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
- ^ Panarese, Tom (April 27, 2011). "Dance 'til Dawn". Pop Culture Affidavit. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
- ^ ((http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pixar))
- ^ ((http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monsters,_inc))
- ^ Victoria Finlay, Color.
- ^ Smith, Bret (December 25, 2008). "Paladin (Part 3C) – The Knights of the Round Table (con't)". The Grumblin' Grognard. Retrieved December 3, 2011.
- ^ Search result, Puce Knight: Sir Thomas Malory; Keith Baines (October 12, 2001). Malory's Le Morte D'Arthur: King Arthur and the Legends of the Round Table : The Classic Rendition. Penguin. pp. 146, 147, 149, 152, 159. ISBN 978-0-451-52816-2. Retrieved December 3, 2011.
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