Bremen blue

Description

A synthetically prepared azure blue pigment made from of Copper hydroxide and copper carbonate. Bremen blue was probably first made in the 18th century and was used in the 19th century for both distemper and oil based interior house paints. Its particles are more rounded and regular in size that natural Azurite.

See Azurite, and Basic copper carbonate.

Synonyms and Related Terms

blue verditer; azul momtaña (Esp.); blu di Brema (It.); blue bice; copper blue; blue ash; lime blue; Neuwied blue; mountain blue

Physical and Chemical Properties

• Insoluble in water and ethanol.
• Decomposes in acids with the evolution of carbon dioxide bubbles.
• Turns black with warm alkalis, hydrogen sulfide or sulfur fumes

Resources and Citations

• 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

• Kurt Wehlte, The Materials and Techniques of Painting, Van Nostrand Reinhold Co., New York, 1975

• Artists' Pigments: A Handbook of their History and Characteristics, Ashok Roy (ed.), National Gallery of Art, Washington DC, Vol. 2, 1993

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