Pigments

The reaction of natural and synthetic mineral pigments with binders containing lipids, such as egg yolk, drying oils, etc., has been reported by various authors.

Generally, the formation of metallic soaps with the free fatty acids in the binders is assumed to be the reaction. These metallic soaps may act as driers, accelerating the oxidation and polymerization ...

Du Fresnoy wrote about colors that appear on the palette of 17th century artists, such as Rembrandt and Rubens, and that appear in Roger de Piles’ translation of De Arte Graphica:
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DURING the history of Art, from the earliest times to the present day, certain pigments have remained common to the artists palette, and while some have dropped out of use, others have been added. Although a great deal of information on the subject has been collected from the examination of old records, and, in addition, by the occasional analysis of the actual pigments used, the whole subject seems to me to be deserving of a more exact inquiry than it has as yet received.

It is, in the first place, a matter of considerable interest to know what pigments were in actual use at various periods in the history of Art, and how far in practice the old receipts represented the artists palette. Such information, if sufficiently complete, would be of great assistance in dating unquestionably many objects of art, and would in many cases be invaluable in detecting forgeries. Moreover, such an inquiry might result in the associating of certain pigments with certain places and schools of painting, and even with individual painters.

The inquiry, however, presents certain obvious difficulties, as it is seldom that the chemist is allowed sufficient freedom with an ancient picture or ...

Vermilion and cinnabar are historical pigments that are compounds of red mercuric sulfide (HgS). The former is the artificial mineral pigment, whereas the latter, cinnabar, is the mineral found in nature. ...

An ancient artist working at his painting perceived himself as a creator. In his search for original ways of self-expression, he experimented with different materials and techniques as part of that expression. However, the ancient icon painter sees himself as part of creation — the visible universe created by God. The icon painter submits his will to the Creator of all things. Therefore, in his works he uses the materials God made through the creation of the world. Medieval icon painters made abundant use of natural pigments — both mineral ...