History of Pigments (until early 18th century)

This virtual seminar (the first in a series* of 4 virtual seminars on the History and Identification of Pigments to be offered in November) discusses the pigments used in painting from prehistoric times until the early 18th century, looking at their chemistries, sources and production methods. The palettes discussed will be broadly divided into Prehistory, Antiquity, Medieval and post-Medieval to c.1704 with the significant introduction of Prussian blue. Both natural pigments such as ochres, carbon blacks, azurite, ​malachite, chalk, orpiment and cinnabar, and synthetic pigments such as lead white, verdigris, vermilion, red lakes and lead tin yellow will be covered.

(Other pigments introduced from the 18th century onwards will be discussed in an IAP Virtual seminar on 12th November, and seminars on 19th and 26th November will discuss the Identification of Pigments).

*This series of seminars is intended to appeal to all conservators and others who would like to refresh their knowledge on the subject and also to students of conservation.

Tracey Chaplin is an Independent Scientific Consultant specialising in analysis and identification of artists’ materials and their degradation products on objects such as paintings, sculpture, furniture, manuscripts, wallpaper, textiles and architectural elements. This includes the application of microscopy, cross-sectional analysis, spectroscopies, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis, X-ray fluorescence and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Tracey lectures in conservation science at the City and Guilds of London Art School, has published extensively and is one of four authors of The Pigment Compendium.