Rose Pompadour
A pinkish-purple shade created in 18th-century France for Madame de Pompadour
Rose Pompadour is a soft pink with hints of purple, first made at Sèvres in France during the 1700s. It is linked to Madame de Pompadour, a well-known figure at the French court. In Britain and Ireland, the name often refers to a deeper, redder purple shade.
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- First made in 18th-century France for Madame de Pompadour
- Has both purplish-pink and reddish-purple versions
- The French and British meanings of the name differ
What colour is Rose Pompadour?
Rose Pompadour is a colour that sits between pink and purple, with a gentle, muted look. Its tone can shift from a soft purplish-pink to a deeper reddish-purple, depending on where it is used. This sets it apart from brighter pinks or straightforward purples, giving it a unique place among pink shades.
Where does Rose Pompadour come from?
This colour was first created in France at the Sèvres porcelain works during the 1700s. It is said to have been made for Madame de Pompadour, a prominent figure at the time. The name reflects this connection. In some places, especially in Britain and Ireland, the same name is used for a darker, more red-toned purple.
Pink around the world
What the pink and magenta family means from country to country.
Toulouse is called la Ville Rose, the pink city, for the soft pink brick of its old buildings.
Nature and renewalSource: ToulouseThe president's office in Buenos Aires is the Casa Rosada, the Pink House. A popular story says its paint once had ox blood mixed in, though this is not proven.
Politics and protestSource: Casa RosadaThe third day of the New Year's Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground is Jane McGrath Day. The crowd wears pink to raise money for breast cancer nurses.
Protection and healingHopeSource: McGrath FoundationThe Rose Valley near Kazanlak grows pink damask roses for rose oil. The harvest in late May and June is marked by a festival and the crowning of a Rose Queen.
Nature and renewalFestival and celebrationJoySource: Rose Valley, BulgariaIn November 2003 protesters entered parliament carrying roses, and the president resigned without bloodshed. The change of power is called the Rose Revolution.
Politics and protestHopeSource: Rose RevolutionAt Holi, the spring festival of colours, friends and strangers smear each other with gulal, a coloured powder. Pink and red gulal are the best known shades.
Festival and celebrationJoySource: HoliShades and relatives of Rose Pompadour
Rose Pompadour can mean different shades depending on the country. In France, it refers to a soft, purplish-pink. In Britain and Ireland, the same name is used for a colour closer to claret or maroon, which is deeper and more red. This can lead to confusion between the two versions.
Colours that go with Rose Pompadour
Harmonies are worked out from the value #ED7A9B. Contrast ratios follow the WCAG 2 formula.
Questions people ask about Rose Pompadour
What colour is Rose Pompadour?
It is a pink shade with a touch of purple, though in some places it can mean a deeper, reddish-purple.
Where does the name Rose Pompadour come from?
The colour was created in 18th-century France for Madame de Pompadour, after whom it is named.
Does Rose Pompadour look the same everywhere?
No, in France it is a muted purplish-pink, while in Britain and Ireland it often means a darker, redder purple.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Shades of pink" (the section "Rose Pompadour"), written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. Rang rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. The swatch is an approximation: named colours are not fixed standards, and every screen shows them a little differently. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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