Lithol red

Description

[BASF] A trademark for a series of bright red, metallic salts of a synthetic Azo dye. First patented in 1899 by Paul Julius (BASF), Lithol reds are made by combining Tobias acid (2-naphthylamine-1-sulfonic acid) and beta-naphthol. Variations in colors are obtained by forming the salts with Sodium, Barium, Calcium, and Strontium cations. Lithol reds are inexpensive and widely used in printing inks, crayons, enamels, stationery, and industrial paints. They are also used as a colorants in some plastics. Lithol reds are not lightfast in sunlight and have only been used in student grade artists paints.

- Na salt: yellowish red, PR 49, CI 15630, water soluble

- Ba salt: bluish pink, PR 49:1, CAS 1248-18-6

- Ca salt: bright red, PR 49:2, CAS 1103-38-4

- Sr salt: purplish red, PR 49:3, CAS 1103-39-5

Synonyms and Related Terms

Lithol toner; Pigment Red 49; CI 15630; 1-sulfo-beta-naphthalene-azo-beta-naphthol; Harrison Red

FTIR Ba Sun(MFA)

FTIR Ba Magruder(MFA)

FTIR Ca red(MFA)

FTIR Ca maroon(MFA)

FTIR Ca Magruder(MFA)

FTIR Ca y-s Magruder(MFA)

Comparisons

Pigment number	Manufacture	Pigment name	Manufacture CI number	Comments
PR49:1	Magruder	barium lithol red	rl1204-dc
PR49:1	Sun	barium lithol red	210-2400
PR49:2	Magruder	calcium lithol red	rl1082-dc
PR49:2	Magruder	calcium lithol red y_s	rl1348-dc
PR49:2	Sun	calcium lithol red	211-4620
PR49:2	Sun	calcium lithol maroon	211-4980

Physical and Chemical Properties

Poor lightfastness. Composition = C20H14N2O4S

Risks

May cause allergic reactions. May be contaminated with cancer causing chemicals.

Resources and Citations

• H. A. L. Standeven, "The History and Manufacture of Lithol Red, A Pigment Used by Mark Rothko in his Seagram and Harvard Murals of the 1950s and 1960s" Tate Papers, Issue 10, 2008. Link

• B.Berrie, S.Q.Lomax, "Azo Pigments: Their History, Synthesis, Properties and Use in Artists' Materials" in Studies in the History of Art, No.57, National Gallery of Art, Washington DC, 1997.

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

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

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

• Thomas Gregory, The Condensed Chemical Dictionary, Reinhold Publishing, New York, 3rd ed., 1942

• Michael McCann, Artist Beware, Watson-Guptill Publications, New York City, 1979