White carries some of the most sharply contrasting cultural meanings of any colour — purity and celebration in many Western traditions, but mourning in several East and South Asian traditions.
No single HEX value defines this entire colour family — see individual colour profiles below for specific shades.
Lead white was the dominant white pigment in Western painting for over two thousand years, prized for its strong opacity despite being made from a metal now known to be a serious neurotoxin.
antiquity to 20th century
White wedding dress became a widespread Western tradition in the 19th century, often credited to the influence of Queen Victoria's own 1840 wedding, though white had been worn by some brides before that.
Western · 19th century
The exact origin of the tradition is debated; Victoria's wedding is the most commonly cited turning point, not necessarily the sole cause.
White is a traditional colour of mourning in China, and in Hindu mourning traditions in India, in contrast with white's association with purity or celebration in many Western contexts.
Chinese and Hindu
Titanium white, developed in the early 20th century, is now the dominant white pigment in modern paint, prized for its strong opacity and, unlike lead white, low toxicity.
20th century