The Origins of Colour: Pigments and their Histories
“Colour is a power which directly influences the soul.” Wassily Kandinsky Like light, colour is a potent, living force, one that can invoke moods, emotions and memories. From the clothes we wear to the...
View ArticleRed Ochre: The Colour of Survival
The warm, earthy resonance of red ochre is steeped in history, carrying within it the weight of human survival. The first red pigment ever discovered, ochre was derived from iron rich rocks containing...
View ArticleYellow Ochre: The Radiance of the Sun
“How beautiful yellow is!” Vincent van Gogh One of the oldest pigments in the world, the warm golden tone of yellow ochre has remained a favourite throughout human history. Part of the ochre family...
View ArticleThe Mysterious Shadows of Umber
The cold darkness of umber is steeped in history, first appearing in prehistoric cave paintings as the brown hides of frantic, fleeing animals. Originally mined from soil rich in manganese and iron...
View ArticleRare Precious and Exotic: The Story of Ultramarine
“Ultramarine blue is a colour illustrious, beautiful, and most perfect, beyond all other colours; one could not say anything about it, or do anything with it, that its quality would not still surpass.”...
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