Lime white

Description

A fine, white pigment composed of Calcium hydroxide, and Calcium carbonate. Lime white is produced by the long-term slaking of lime in water or air to form a thick, white, alkaline paste. It was used for fresco painting because it hardens to form a cohesive film without the aid of a binder. Lime white reacts with proteins, such as Egg white, or Casein, to produce a tough, insoluble film.

Synonyms and Related Terms

St. John's white; bianco sangiovanni (It.)

Resources and Citations

• R. Gettens, E. West Fitzhugh, R.Feller, "Calcium Carbonate Whites", Artists Pigments, Vol. 2., A. Roy ed. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1993. Comment: page 206

• R. J. Gettens, G.L. Stout, Painting Materials, A Short Encyclopaedia, Dover Publications, New York, 1966

• Art and Architecture Thesaurus Online, https://www.getty.edu/research/tools/vocabulary/aat/, J. Paul Getty Trust, Los Angeles, 2000