Red ocher

Buffet MFA#1989.50

Red ocher

Description

Any of several naturally occurring red earth pigments. Red ochers contain Hematite (red iron oxide) mixed with clay and vary widely in hue. Ground finely from red earth or clay, red ochers are lightfast, unreactive pigments that have been used since ancient times. They can also be manufactured by calcining Yellow ocher (Goethite).

Red ocher

Synonyms and Related Terms

red ochre (Br.); red earth; earth red; iron oxide red; red iron oxide; Indian red; brun rouge; Roter Ocker (Deut.); minium de fer (Fr.); reddle; Spanish brown; Venetian red, English red; Spanish red; caput mortuum; Indian red; light red; burnt sienna

Raman

Additional Information

Record content reviewed by EU-Artech, November 2007.

Sources Checked for Data in Record

• External source or communication Comment: Submitted information: Helen Howard, November 2007

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• Ralph Mayer, A Dictionary of Art Terms and Techniques, Harper and Row Publishers, New York, 1969 (also 1945 printing)

• R.D. Harley, Artists' Pigments c. 1600-1835, Butterworth Scientific, London, 1982

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• Website address 1 Comment: Pigments Through the Ages http://webexhibits.org/pigments/indiv/overview/redochre.html

• The Dictionary of Art, Grove's Dictionaries Inc., New York, 1996 Comment: "Pigments"