1. A Brief History of Color

2. The First Colors:
More than 15,000 years ago, cave people used Earth pigments:
yellow ochre (clay)
red ochre (clay)
white chalk
carbon black (burnt animal fat)
YUM! 
They are still used today but in different formats

3. The Egyptians, Chinese, Greeks and Romans then modified and contributed to the use of color:
Egyptians-Cinnabar-mineral (1st bright red)
Chinese- Vermillion (TOXIC orangey-red)
Greeks- White lead (first completely opaque white but TOXIC!-Used for awhile)
Romans- Inherited palette of all three but contributed Tyrian Purple for Emperor’s togas-more on that later!

4. Then what happened??? Not much!
Renaissance gives greater Earth pigments by roasting—Burnt Umber & Burnt Sienna.Terra Verte (green earth) is typical under painting of flesh in paintings.
Early 19th Century-Industrial Revolution, Impressionists use oils in tubes, and modern chemical colors created.

5. RED:
Can signify love, danger, good luck (China), evil, or wealth (India-Goddess Lakshmi)
Cinnabar (rock mineral), vermilion
Cochineal- “Carmine”-STILL used today in food coloring and COSMETICS! Check
your lipsticks!

6. ORANGE: Named after the Sanskrit word, “narangah” for the fruit.
Realgar-toxic red-orange color from volcanic minerals used from ancient times to Renaissance and up to 19th Century.

7. YELLOW:
Derived from the earth, arsenic, plants and even cow’s urine! Cows were force-fed mango leaves and urine was
evaporated to produce powder.
Symbolic: warmth, light, sickness or cowardice

8. GREEN: Early green pigments contained copper and arsenic (TOXIC!)
Symbolic: signifies life or hope; poison, envy; traditionally worn as fertility symbol in Western Europe at weddings; currently as ecology

9. BLUE:
Ancient: Woad (“Brave heart”) Like the Indigo plant, it’s a shrub where ancient Brits would paint their face
Ultramarine- Ground from rare stone, Lapis Lazuli, was more expensive than gold! In Renaissance, usually most important person had this pigment—ex.: Virgin Mary
Symbolic: calm, soothing, sadness or depression

10. Empty space
In bottom right
Is left for
Mary.
He probably
waited
for shipment of
Lapis Lazuli.

11. PURPLE (or VIOLET): Named for “Violette”-French Flower
Tyrian Purple: From Roman times, one of the most expensive dyes. Made from the ink of the Murex or sea snail.
12,000 mollusks produced 1/20th of an oz.!
AND IT STUNK!!!
Symbolism: Royalty or wealth