Sienna
A reddish-brown earth pigment named after the city of Siena in Italy
Sienna is a natural earth pigment made mainly from iron oxide and manganese oxide, giving it a yellowish brown (raw sienna) or reddish brown (burnt sienna) colour. Named after Siena in Italy, it has been used since ancient times in painting and is still widely chosen by artists for its warm, earthy tones.
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- Named after Siena, Italy, where it was produced during the Renaissance
- Used by artists since ancient times and found in cave paintings
- Raw sienna is yellowish brown; burnt sienna is reddish brown
- Made from clay with iron and manganese oxides
- Still produced in Italy, France, and the United States
What colour is Sienna?
Sienna is an earth pigment that appears yellowish brown in its natural state, known as raw sienna, and turns reddish brown when heated, called burnt sienna. Its colour comes from iron oxide and manganese oxide in clay, and it is lighter than umber but darker than ochre. Sienna stands out for its warmth and has been a staple in artists’ palettes for centuries.
Where does Sienna come from?
The name 'sienna' comes from the Italian 'terra di Siena', meaning 'earth of Siena', after the city in Tuscany where it was produced during the Renaissance. The pigment was used by the ancient Romans and became popular with artists in Siena and beyond from the Middle Ages onward. It was widely used by painters such as Duccio, Caravaggio, and Rembrandt. The colour name first appeared in English in 1760.
How is Sienna made?
Sienna is made from clay rich in iron oxide and manganese oxide. In its raw form, it is yellowish brown. When the clay is heated, the iron oxide changes form, turning the pigment reddish brown (burnt sienna). Historically, the earth was heated in a fire, sometimes after being broken into smaller pieces. Today, both natural and synthetic versions exist, with labels indicating the source.
Where Sienna is used
Artists have used sienna since prehistoric times, with traces found in cave paintings. It became a standard pigment for painters during the Renaissance and remains common in painting today. Sienna is valued for its earthy, warm tones and versatility, and is used for underpainting, priming, and mixing with other colours.
Brown around the world
What the brown family means from country to country.
Brown is the colour of Nazism in German political speech, after the brown shirts of the party's stormtroopers. To call a view "brown" is to call it far right.
Politics and protestDanger and warningShameSource: SturmabteilungMasi is bark cloth beaten from paper mulberry and printed in brown and black. It is worn at weddings and funerals and given in ceremonial exchanges.
Sacred and holyWeddings and marriageSource: Tapa clothKuntunkuni is a dark brown mourning cloth of the Asante, dyed with tree bark. Adinkra cloth, stamped with symbols, was first made on such dark grounds for funerals.
Mourning and deathSadnessSource: Adinkra symbolsThe batik of the Javanese courts at Yogyakarta and Surakarta is dyed in soga brown with indigo and cream. Some court patterns were once reserved for the royal family.
Royalty and powerPrideSource: BatikBogolanfini, or mud cloth, is cotton painted with fermented river mud in browns, black and white. Hunters wear it for protection, and women after childbirth.
Protection and healingSacred and holySource: BògòlanfiniShades and relatives of Sienna
Sienna’s shade varies depending on the soil’s iron content and how long it is heated. Raw sienna is yellowish brown, while burnt sienna is reddish brown. The pigment’s colour is not fixed and can differ by region or manufacturer. Related colours include ochre (yellower) and umber (darker and greener). The web colour 'sienna' and the shade 'kobe' have identical digital values.
Colours that go with Sienna
Harmonies are worked out from the value #E97451. Contrast ratios follow the WCAG 2 formula.
Questions people ask about Sienna
What colour is sienna?
Sienna is a warm earth pigment that is yellowish brown in its raw form and turns reddish brown when heated. The exact shade can vary depending on the source and preparation.
Where does the name 'sienna' come from?
The name comes from the Italian 'terra di Siena', meaning 'earth of Siena', after the city in Tuscany where the pigment was produced during the Renaissance.
How is sienna pigment made?
Sienna is made from clay containing iron oxide and manganese oxide. Raw sienna is used as found, while burnt sienna is made by heating the raw pigment, which changes its colour to a deeper reddish brown.
What is the difference between raw sienna and burnt sienna?
Raw sienna is yellowish brown and used as it is found in nature. Burnt sienna is made by heating raw sienna, which gives it a reddish brown colour.
Where is sienna pigment found or produced?
Historically, sienna was mined near Siena and Monte Amiata in Italy. Today, it is produced in regions such as Sardinia, Sicily, the French Ardennes, and the Appalachian Mountains in the United States.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Sienna", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). 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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