The color of warning signals, smiley faces, rubber duckies and the Sun (at least from our perspective- in fact the Sun is white if viewed from space), for many of us yellow has a favorable connotation; yet, at various points throughout human history, yellow has decidedly been a symbolism of, alternately, heresy, jealousy, treachery, sin and gutlessness.
It’s not completely clear when yellow came to represent human weakness and immorality. In fact, during the Early Middle Ages (5th-10th centuries), yellow (as a cheaper substitute for gold) was commonly used to represent divine light in art and manuscripts, and even Jesus was sometimes depicted with blond hair. However, during the High Middle Ages (11th-15th centuries), things began to change.
Although it’s not clear why the color was chosen, as part of the Abilgensian Inquisition (mid-13th century), which started in the 1100s in France, Cathar heretics who repented were forced to wear yellow crosses as part of their penance.
Similarly, Jews, widely despised by other religions at the time, had been forced to wear some type of marker since the days of the Umayyad Caliph Umar II (8th century), and by the 12th century Jewish men in Baghdad each wore two yellow badges (one on the head and another on the neck). This practice of marking Jews in yellow continued throughout the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, with the symbols themselves being variously rings, circles, patches, strips of cloth, badges, belts and hats.
By the late 14th century, Venetian prostitutes were also wearing yellow – a practice that spread throughout Italy during the Renaissance; reflecting this, in Renaissance artwork Mary Magdalene was often depicted in yellow…
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