Difference between revisions of "Ultramarine blue, natural"

Latest revision as of 13:35, 28 February 2024

Ultramarine blue, natural

Description

Ultramarine blue, natural at 100x (visible light left; UV light right)

Natural ultramarine blue pigment is the ground, separated blue particles (Lazurite) from the gemstone Lapis lazuli. Lapis has been mined since the 3rd millennium BCE in Afghanistan at the Badakhshan mines. Ancient trade routes distributed the lapis throughout Europe and the Far East. From the 13th century, the method used to prepare ultramarine pigment mixed powdered lapis with wax, resin and oils then kneaded the mixture in a dilute lye solution; this allowed the blue particles to disperse into the alkaline water while the extraneous minerals (e.g., Calcite, Pyrite, silicates) are retained in the putty. This was a time consuming process that produced varying shades of blue. The purest, deep blue was extracted in the first batch and sold for very high prices. As the process was continued, the subsequent batches of pigments were slightly less pure; the final batch was a transparent blue gray called ultramarine ash. In all the fractions, some transparent material is present (calcite) which aids microscopically in the distinguishing the natural from synthetic ultramarine pigments which were first made in 1828. Ultramarine blue is used as a pigment in paints ( oil, Tempera, watercolor), Wallpaper, Soap, textile printing, and laundry bluing agents.

FTIR

Raman (MFA)

XRD

Synonyms and Related Terms

natural ultramarine blue; Pigment blue 29; CI 77007; lapis lazuli blue; Ultramarinblau, echt (Deut.); outremer naturel (Fr.); blu oltremare naturale (It.); lapislazzuli (It.); ultramarino verdadero (Esp.); lapislázuli (Esp.); oyltramarina fysikh (Gr.); lapis lazuli (Gr.); ultramarijn blauw (Ned.); ultramaryna (Pol); ultramarin (Sven.); azul ultramarino, natural (Port.); bleu d'Azur; Armenian blue; lazuline blue; ultramarine ash; mineral blue; vein stone; lazurstein

Risks

No significant hazards.
Noncombustible.
Becomes dull with outdoor weathering.

Physical and Chemical Properties

Discolors when exposed to weak acids or sulfur fumes.
Irregular particles, no birefringence, no pleochroism, extinction under crossed polars.
Naturally mixed with silicates, calcite and pyrite.
Insoluble in water.
Isotropic crystal system.
ASTM lightfastness=1 (excellent)

Composition	3Na2O.3Al2O3.6SiO2.2Na2S
Density	2.4 - 2.5 g/ml
Refractive Index	about 1.5

Comparisons

Characteristics of Common Blue Pigments

Additional Images

Ultramarine blue, natural at 500x
Ultramarine blue, natural at 500x polarized light
Ultramarine blue, natural (Lapis Lazuli), PPL, 400x
Ultramarine blue, natural (Lapis Lazuli), XPL, 400x
Ultramarine blue, natural (Lapis Lazuli), agglomerate with assoc. minerals, PPL, 400x
Ultramarine blue, natural (Lapis Lazuli), agglomerate with assoc. minerals, XPL, 400x

Resources and Citations

Ruth Siddall, 'Mineral Pigments in Archaeology: Their Analysis and the Range of Available Materials' Minerals Vol 8, p. 201 (2018). Link
J. Plesters, "Ultramarine Blue, Natural and Artificial", Artists Pigments, Volume 2, A. Roy (ed.), Oxford University Press: Oxford, 1993.
Nicholas Eastaugh, Valentine Walsh, Tracey Chaplin, Ruth Siddall, Pigment Compendium, Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford, 2004
R. J. Gettens, G.L. Stout, Painting Materials, A Short Encyclopaedia, Dover Publications, New York, 1966
Reed Kay, The Painter's Guide To Studio Methods and Materials, Prentice-Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1983
Richard S. Lewis, Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 10th ed., 1993
Hermann Kuhn, Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art and Antiquities, Butterworths, London, 1986
R.D. Harley, Artists' Pigments c. 1600-1835, Butterworth Scientific, London, 1982
The Merck Index, Martha Windholz (ed.), Merck Research Labs, Rahway NJ, 10th edition, 1983
Encyclopedia Britannica, http://www.britannica.com Comment: "ultramarine." Accessed 7 Apr. 2005.
Pigments through the ages -http://webexhibits.org/pigments/indiv/technical/ultramarine.html
Thomas B. Brill, Light Its Interaction with Art and Antiquities, Plenum Press, New York City, 1980
The Dictionary of Art, Grove's Dictionaries Inc., New York, 1996 Comment: "Pigments"
Colour Index International online at www.colour-index.org
Art and Architecture Thesaurus Online, https://www.getty.edu/research/tools/vocabulary/aat/, J. Paul Getty Trust, Los Angeles, 2000

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 [[File:465 ultramarine_nat.jpg|thumb|Ultramarine blue, natural]]
 == Description ==
+[[File:Natultra C100x.jpg|thumb|Ultramarine blue, natural at 100x (visible light left; UV light right)]]
+Natural ultramarine blue pigment is the ground, separated blue particles ([[lazurite]]) from the gemstone [[lapis lazuli]]. Lapis has been mined since the 3rd millennium BCE in Afghanistan at the Badakhshan mines. Ancient trade routes distributed the lapis throughout Europe and the Far East. From the 13th century, the method used to prepare ultramarine pigment mixed powdered lapis with wax, resin and oils then kneaded the mixture in a dilute lye solution; this allowed the blue particles to disperse into the alkaline water while the extraneous minerals (e.g., [[calcite]], [[pyrite]], silicates) are retained in the putty. This was a time consuming process that produced varying shades of blue. The purest, deep blue was extracted in the first batch and sold for very high prices. As the process was continued, the subsequent batches of pigments were slightly less pure; the final batch was a transparent blue gray called ultramarine ash. In all the fractions, some transparent material is present (calcite) which aids microscopically in the distinguishing the natural from [[ultramarine blue, synthetic|synthetic ultramarine]] pigments which were first made in 1828. Ultramarine blue is used as a pigment in paints ([[oil paint|
+oil]], [[tempera]], [[watercolor paint|watercolor]]), [[wallpaper]], [[soap]], textile printing, and laundry bluing agents.
-Natural ultramarine blue pigment is the ground, separated blue particles ([http://cameo.mfa.org/materials/fullrecord.asp?name=lazurite lazurite]) from the gemstone [http://cameo.mfa.org/materials/fullrecord.asp?name=lapis%20lazuli lapis lazuli]. Lapis has been mined since the 3rd millennium BCE in Afghanistan at the Badakhshan mines. Ancient trade routes distributed the lapis throughout Europe and the Far East. From the 13th century, the method used to prepare ultramarine pigment mixed powdered lapis with wax, resin and oils then kneaded the mixture in a dilute lye solution; this allowed the blue particles to disperse into the alkaline water while the extraneous minerals (e.g., [http://cameo.mfa.org/materials/fullrecord.asp?name=calcite calcite], [http://cameo.mfa.org/materials/fullrecord.asp?name=pyrite pyrite], silicates) are retained in the putty. This was a time consuming process that produced varying shades of blue. The purest, deep blue was extracted in the first batch and sold for very high prices. As the process was continued, the subsequent batches of pigments were slightly less pure; the final batch was a transparent blue gray called ultramarine ash. In all the fractions, some transparent material is present (calcite) which aids microscopically in the distinguishing the natural from [http://cameo.mfa.org/materials/fullrecord.asp?name=ultramarine%20blue%2C%20synthetic synthetic ultramarine] pigments which were first made in 1828. Ultramarine blue is used as a pigment in paints ([http://cameo.mfa.org/materials/fullrecord.asp?name=oil%20paint oil], [http://cameo.mfa.org/materials/fullrecord.asp?name=tempera tempera], [http://cameo.mfa.org/materials/fullrecord.asp?name=watercolor%20paint watercolor], [http://cameo.mfa.org/materials/fullrecord.asp?name=fresco fresco]), [http://cameo.mfa.org/materials/fullrecord.asp?name=wallpaper wallpaper], [http://cameo.mfa.org/materials/fullrecord.asp?name=soap soap], textile printing, and [http://cameo.mfa.org/materials/fullrecord.asp?name=laundry%20blue laundry bluing] agents.
+[[[SliderGallery rightalign|MFA- Ultramarine, natural.jpg~FTIR|Natural ultramarine, Forbes 465 (MFA), blue particle, 532nm.TIF~Raman (MFA)|PIG473.jpg~XRD]]]
-[[File:Natultra C100x.jpg|thumb|Ultramarine blue, natural]]
 == Synonyms and Related Terms ==
 natural ultramarine blue; Pigment blue 29; CI 77007; lapis lazuli blue; Ultramarinblau, echt (Deut.); outremer naturel (Fr.); blu oltremare naturale (It.); lapislazzuli (It.); ultramarino verdadero (Esp.); lapislázuli (Esp.); oyltramarina fysikh (Gr.); lapis lazuli (Gr.); ultramarijn blauw (Ned.); ultramaryna (Pol); ultramarin (Sven.); azul ultramarino, natural (Port.); bleu d'Azur; Armenian blue; lazuline blue; ultramarine ash; mineral blue; vein stone; lazurstein
-[[[SliderGallery rightalign|MFA- Ultramarine, natural.jpg~FTIR|PIG473.jpg~XRD]]]
+== Risks ==
-== Other Properties ==
-Discolors when exposed to weak acids or sulfur fumes.
-Irregular particles, no birefringence, no pleochroism, extinction under crossed polars. Naturally mixed with silicates, calcite and pyrite.
+* No significant hazards.
+* Noncombustible.
+* Becomes dull with outdoor weathering.
-Insoluble in water.  Isotropic crystal system.
+==Physical and Chemical Properties==
-ASTM lightfastness=1 (excellent)
+* Discolors when exposed to weak acids or sulfur fumes.
+* Irregular particles, no birefringence, no pleochroism, extinction under crossed polars.
+* Naturally mixed with silicates, calcite and pyrite.
+* Insoluble in water.
+* Isotropic crystal system.
+* ASTM lightfastness=1 (excellent)
 {| class="wikitable"
@@ Line 27: / Line 31: @@
 |-
 ! scope="row"| Density
-| 2.4 - 2.5
+| 2.4 - 2.5 g/ml
 |-
 ! scope="row"| Refractive Index
 | about 1.5
 |}
-== Hazards and Safety ==
-No significant hazards. Noncombustible.
-Becomes dull with outdoor weathering.
-== Additional Information ==
-° J. Plesters, "Ultramarine Blue, Natural and Artificial", ''Artists Pigments'', Volume 2, A. Roy (ed.), Oxford University Press: Oxford, 1993.
 == Comparisons ==
 [[media:download_file_495.pdf|Characteristics of Common Blue Pigments]]
 == Additional Images ==
 <gallery>
-File:39_Ultram.blue_nat_500X.jpg|Ultramarine blue, natural
+File:39_Ultram.blue_nat_500X.jpg|Ultramarine blue, natural at 500x
-File:39_Ultram.blue_nat_500X_pol.jpg|Ultramarine blue, natural
+File:39_Ultram.blue_nat_500X_pol.jpg|Ultramarine blue, natural at 500x polarized light
+File:Lapis_Natural_ PPL 400x.JPG|Ultramarine blue, natural (Lapis Lazuli), PPL, 400x
+File:Lapis_Natural_ XPL 400x.JPG|Ultramarine blue, natural (Lapis Lazuli), XPL, 400x
+File:Lapis_Natural_Agglomerate PPL 400x.JPG|Ultramarine blue, natural (Lapis Lazuli), agglomerate with assoc. minerals, PPL, 400x
+File:Lapis_Natural_Agglomerate XPL 400x.JPG|Ultramarine blue, natural (Lapis Lazuli), agglomerate with assoc. minerals, XPL, 400x
 </gallery>
+==Resources and Citations==
-== Authority ==
+* Ruth Siddall, 'Mineral Pigments in Archaeology: Their Analysis and the Range of Available Materials' ''Minerals'' Vol 8, p. 201 (2018). [https://www.academia.edu/36588315/Mineral_Pigments_in_Archaeology_Their_Analysis_and_the_Range_of_Available_Materials?email_work_card=view-paper Link]
+* J. Plesters, "Ultramarine Blue, Natural and Artificial", ''Artists Pigments'', Volume 2, A. Roy (ed.), Oxford University Press: Oxford, 1993.
 * Nicholas Eastaugh, Valentine Walsh, Tracey Chaplin, Ruth Siddall, ''Pigment Compendium'', Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford, 2004
 * R. J. Gettens, G.L. Stout, ''Painting Materials, A Short Encyclopaedia'', Dover Publications, New York, 1966
 * Reed Kay, ''The Painter's Guide To Studio Methods and Materials'', Prentice-Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1983
 * Richard S. Lewis, ''Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary'', Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 10th ed., 1993
 * Hermann Kuhn, ''Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art and Antiquities'', Butterworths, London, 1986
 * R.D. Harley, ''Artists' Pigments c. 1600-1835'', Butterworth Scientific, London, 1982
-* ''Artists' Pigments: A Handbook of their History and Characteristics'', Ashok Roy (ed.), National Gallery of Art, Washington DC, Vol. 2, 1993  Comment: J. Plesters, "Ultramarine Blue, Natural and Artificial"
 * ''The Merck Index'', Martha Windholz (ed.), Merck Research Labs, Rahway NJ, 10th edition, 1983
+* ''Encyclopedia Britannica'', http://www.britannica.com  Comment: "ultramarine." Accessed 7 Apr. 2005.
-* ''Encyclopedia Britannica'', http://www.britannica.com  Comment: "ultramarine." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2005. Encyclopædia Britannica Premium Service  7 Apr. 2005 .
+* Pigments through the ages -http://webexhibits.org/pigments/indiv/technical/ultramarine.html
-* Website address 1  Comment: Pigments through the ages -http://webexhibits.org/pigments/indiv/technical/ultramarine.html
 * Thomas B. Brill, ''Light Its Interaction with Art and Antiquities'', Plenum Press, New York City, 1980
 * ''The Dictionary of Art'', Grove's Dictionaries Inc., New York, 1996  Comment: "Pigments"
 * Colour Index International online at www.colour-index.org
+* Art and Architecture Thesaurus Online, https://www.getty.edu/research/tools/vocabulary/aat/, J. Paul Getty Trust, Los Angeles, 2000
-* Art and Architecture Thesaurus Online, http://www.getty.edu/research/tools/vocabulary/aat/, J. Paul Getty Trust, Los Angeles, 2000
 [[Category:Materials database]]