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Our color preferences and the meanings we
attach to them are influenced by our culture. In the United States one
would most likely be horrified if a bride wore a red wedding gown.
However, in China this is expected.
Color preferences and use are also influenced by the time period in which we live. In ancient Egypt, statues of Osiris were painted black to indicate the period of seeds sprouting from the earth. Bright colors were also used in ancient Egypt to help in the healing process. For example, green herbs were used to heal disorders such as fevers and colds. The Incas painted wooden statue faces red and used them as spiritual aids when a person died. These statues were buried along with the mummified body.
According Benjamin Whorf's Linguistic Relativity Hypothesis a person's language determines and limits what the person experiences. Not all concepts can be expressed in some languages. This language barrier can affect one's perception of color. For example, the Shona language in Zimbabwe and the Boas language in Liberia have no words which distinguish red from orange. Therefore, people fail to perceive different colors because of language limitations.
Even the climate in which we live influences our color preferences, according to psychologist E. R. Jaensch. Jaensch's research indicates those who live in climates with a lot of sunlight prefer warm bright colors; while those from climates with less sunlight prefer cooler, less saturated colors.
Throughout time some colors have acquired specific meanings. In Jon Van Eyck's Renaissance painting, Giovanni Arolfini and His Bride, the bride wears a green gown to symbolize fertility.
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