The most expensive color in the world, the history of more precious pigment "Ultramarine" than gold

ByBoris Mann

"Over the sea" meaning "Ultramarine"Has been valued by artists as an expensive color rather than gold and has pushed the family of artists to the bottom of poverty. What is it with Ultramarine? So, its historyParis ReviewIt is summarized in.

A Brief History of Ultramarine - The World's Costliest Color
http://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2015/06/08/true-blue/

painterMichelangeloThe early work "Burial of Christ" remains unfinished in this world, but the burial of Christ is incomplete for use in paintingUltramarineIt is said that it is because Michelangelo could not get pigment. On the other hand,RaffaelloUses ultramarine pigment for painting finishing,VermeerHad plenty of Ultramarine pigment, so my family had fallen into a mire of debt.


Loved by many artists, the material of "Ultramarine" with the name "color across the ocean" is a kind of jewelrylapis lazuliis. Lapis lazuli has been mined only in arid regions in the mountains of northern Afghanistan for centuries and has been thought more valuable than gold. Lapis lazuli was brought to Europe by the sea route, so it was called "color across the sea".

To make lapis lazuli as a pigment of ultramarine, first crush the stone into fine sand and mix it with the wax, oil, pine cone, etc. that you unwrapped. When kneading the resultant lump in thin lye, the particles sink to the bottom of the container, and ultimately a transparent extract containing blue particles is completed.

Ultramarine made from jewelry is too expensive, so it was usually used only when drawing clothes worn by Christ or Mary Magdalene. In addition, the painter at that time had the patron bear the cost of painting, but in some people instead of UltramarineIndigoYaSmartSome people used clothes of pigment and had put money to buy Ultramarine.

In view of the situation as described above, in 1824, the French Industry Promotion Association announced "give 6000 francs to those who developed pigments that replace Ultramarine." Several weeks later, French pharmacist Jean - Baptiste Gimme and German researcher Christian Gumerin have independently developed a synthetic ultramarine. Mr. Gumerlin said, "I had already developed synthetic Ultramarine a year ago, but I had decided not to publish until my paper was published," Mr. Gimme said, "I had already developed it two years ago Because there was a big controversy about the prize money because it claimed that it was not announced, after all, Mr. Gimme did not announce how to make it, so Mr. Gumerin was recognized as the founder of synthetic ultramarine and got a prize Thing.

ByOrbital Joe

Synthetic Ultramarine is currently sold at the same price as other pigments, but because the color is subtlely different, "You can cut your ear if you can get natural Ultramarine" There are many artists who say.

On the other hand, there are voices that synthesized ultramarine is richer than natural Ultramarine because it does not contain minerals. I am an American painter of the 20th centuryAndrew WyethAbout the natural Ultramarine "The color is too pure - when used for modern shadows and shades, it will make you feel dizzy due to its purity" "Old-style blue is mixed with yellow, modern color It does not harmonize with. " Even natural Ultramarine crushed finely and carefully by hand,CalciteYaPyrite,Ordinary pyroxene,micaIt mixes and it reflects and transmits light. Therefore, pictures drawn with various strokes seem to see blue as white or gold depending on the viewing angle.

Novelist William H. Gass said "On Being Blue"In the book" Blue has existed in various places since ancient times, "ice and water, flames, caves, flowers, fruits, and souls". In ancient Egyptian books, lapis lazuli carved into gold in the middle with gold embedded in the middle is treated as an amulet, and Cleopatra applied eye shadow with lapis lazuli powder, so how holy the blue is It is understood whether it was treated as color.


A color judge tells us that "When the blue becomes deep, people sense that" infinity "is evoked, and they notice the desire for pure and supernatural things." Even in modern times, the sky blue is in a bottle For those who can not stuff and can not touch the blue of the flame, blue will continue to exist as sacred colors.