Stately Isis violet

An adjectival form of state, condition of dignity. Used as a color modifier since the seventeenth century for the deep saturated jewel tones of formal ceremony — the deep blue of a robes-of-state, the deep red of a state-banquet velvet. Sits in the bold-and-formal corner alongside imperial and royal, with slightly less institutional weight.

Egyptian Aset, throne-and-mother-goddess. As a color modifier, isis implies a winged-and-throne-and-mother-goddess quality, the visual register of Egyptian-Isis-and-Philae-temple hand-winged-and-throne-and-mother-goddess Egyptian-Isis-and-Philae-temple-and-Osirian-myth isis-and-winged-and-throne-and-mother-goddess surfaces under Egyptian-Isis-and-Philae-temple-and-Osirian-myth Nile-and-Philae-Aswan-temple winged-throne-light. Sits at the modifier-and-myth end of the grid, parallel to horus and thoth in usage.

Viola odorata, the European sweet violet — small, fragrant, and the original meaning of the color name in English (the Violet of the rainbow). The color refers to a fresh sweet violet blossom in late winter: a saturated, slightly red-shifted deep blue-purple with the matte finish of small five-petaled flower. Cooler than amethyst, warmer than indigo, with the perfumed weight of a flower used in Roman garlands and Victorian eau de toilette.