Scarlet: Andrew Scott suit and history behind its loaded color.
I have been a fan of Andrew Scott for a considerable amount of time. It started with his iconic portrayal of Moriarty in Sherlock Holmes series. Since then, I've seen him on stage several times - live and recorded in the movie theatre. Despite the temptation, I'll refrain from discussing his role in “Fleabag” in this post -- I fear I'll never cease. In my opinion, Andrew cannot set a foot wrong. If you have ever witnessed him off-screen, you'd agree that he has an exceptional fashion sense. Last week, I watched his latest film, "All of Us Strangers", which I heartily recommend. After the movie, I spent some time watching his and Paul Mescal’s promotional interviews. One interview at the BAFTA Awards caught my attention, where Andrew appeared in a striking scarlet suit. Andrew makes even a T-shirt look chic, so no questions asked about the choice, but is there more to it than just pushing the boundaries of formal attire?
The color of his suit left me spellbound; it was an intense red pigment, the kind I avoid in my paintings for its incredibly dominant chroma that tends to overpower every color you try to mix it with. Such strong pigments are undeniably hard to balance. It is also opaque and has earthy undertones, so it does make a very rare guest appearance on my palet. No surprise that such a strong color is loaded with historical significance.
On February 8, 1587, Mary Queen of Scots was executed after enduring 18 years of imprisonment. Before her demise, Mary made a dramatic gesture by revealing her scarlet undergown beneath her outer cloak. The significance of scarlet, closely linked with martyrdom in the Catholic Church, wouldn't have been lost on observers. To adversaries of the Scottish Queen and her beliefs, the red attire symbolized the Scarlet Woman, an allusion to the biblical Whore of Babylon. Originally, 'Scarlet' denoted a type of woollen fabric dating back to the 14th century, dyed with kermes, a resilient pigment from Southern Europe. Its costly production signified it as a symbol of opulence. Charlemagne, upon his coronation as Holy Roman Emperor in AD800, reputedly wore scarlet leather shoes. Queen Elizabeth I, recognizing the power of imagery, imposed scarlet attire for her ladies-in-waiting post-1558 coronation. Over time, scarlet became emblematic in religious and academic circles, with Oliver Cromwell introducing scarlet-dyed military uniforms in Gloucestershire. Despite its associations with power and prestige, scarlet also bore negative connotations, notably highlighted by Chaucer's Wife of Bath in the Canterbury Tales and Shakespeare's portrayal of hypocrisy and sin. The Book of Revelations' mention of "a woman sit upon the Scarlet, colored beast" led Puritans to decry the Catholic Church, identifiable by its red-robed cardinals, as inherently evil.
Taking history into consideration, one would be tempted to speculate whether the color choice had any symbolic meaning at BAFTA, noting that Andrew was not nominated despite his brilliant performance in the movie. I will conclude by saying that symbolism of scarlet goes way beyond devotion and sacrifice. In my case, I want to saturate the scarlet even further with an abundance of courage, passion, and above all, joy.
