Turner's yellow

Description

A strong yellow pigment also known as patent yellow or lead oxychloride (PbCl2.5-7PbO). Turner's yellow was discovered in 1770 by Scheele, but it was not patented till the early 19th century by J. Turner in England. Turner's yellow was made by mixing powdered lead chloride with lead carbonate then fusing. This yellow pigment was used for a short time in oil paints, but its sensitivity to light and Sulfur fumes limited its use and it was replaced by Chrome yellow pigments.

Synonyms and Related Terms

patent yellow (PbCl2.5-7PbO); Cassel yellow (PbCl2-7PbO); jaune minéral (Fr.); Turnersgelb (Deut.); Turners Gelb (Deut.); Englischgelb (Deut.); giallo minerale (It.); loodchloride oxide (Ned.); Montpelier yellow; Kassler yellow; mineral yellow; Verona yellow

Risks

Turns black when exposed to water, UV light and sulfur fumes.

Resources and Citations

• M. Doerner, The Materials of the Artist, Harcourt, Brace & Co., 1934

• G.S.Brady, Materials Handbook, McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1971 Comment: p. 445

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

• Thomas B. Brill, Light Its Interaction with Art and Antiquities, Plenum Press, New York City, 1980

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