Green as a representation of evil

[Bêthberry]

Another cultural context. Or two.

In those opulent Renaissance religious paintings of the Virgin and Child, blue was the colour used for Mary, in accordance with the iconography of the time. There is a painting in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City which uses green to depict Mary and the painting most often is regarded as a failed attempt to represent her. Perhaps some enterprising New York Downer knows the painting and can expand upon this tradition. For the life of me, I cannot remember the artist nor the name of the painting. I just remember that one of the Museum guides directed me to the painting and explained the tradition wherebye its depiction has been regarded as a failed attempt and walked me around all the other painting which used blue.

In medieval times, colours assumed their significance of nobility or royalty due to the cost of the dyes. Purple and blue were costly dyes and could be afforded only by the wealthy. Hence they became associated with the upper classes.

And, yes, the song "Greensleeves" describes an unfaithful women, whose sleeves are marked by grassy stains from romping around on the ground.

Yet Tolkien clothes Goldberry first in a gown of silver and green, then one in silver alone with shoes shining like silver mail. Tom is clothed in blue but with green stockings. I'm not sure how significant these colours are, but the colours of the candles in The House of Bombadil, white and yellow, are the colours of the popes.

There must be some books on Iconography which would help us here but I don't have the references at hand right now.