The really interesting thing, which I only learned a few years ago, is that there is actually a reason that we perceive colors in the "purple" range (including

The really interesting thing, which I only learned a few years ago, is that there is actually a reason that we perceive colors in the "purple" range (including violet and magenta) as falling between red and blue on a "color wheel". Specifically, the "red" cones in our eyes have a minor secondary region of sensitivity that's way out in the blue-violet range. So violet light also partially stimulates our red receptors, making our brains interpret it as a mixture of red and blue. Here's one source: http://midimagic.sgc-hosting.com/huvision.htm http://midimagic.sgc-hosting.com/huvision.htm (I know I've seen other sources as well, but this phenomenon isn't discussed terribly often so I'm a little bit skeptical about it.)