DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.62783#0040
XXX
OF THE COLOURS USED
earth, called also Terra Sigillata, was considered next in value to
Minium (vermilion), and none was allowed to be sold without having
been previously marked with the seal of Diana (a goat, the Turkish
seal was afterwards substituted for this), for which reason it was
also called “ Sphragis.” The painters ordinarily laid a ground of
this under vermilion, and sophisticated it in many ways.—See Pliny,
Book xxxv.
Dioscorides says, this red ochre of Sinopia is very fine : it is heavy,
dense, and of the colour of liver without any mixture of stone ; it is
equally coloured throughout, and if put into water diffuses itself equally.
Geo. Agricola says, that the earth which the Greeks call Milto,
because it is red, is called Rubrica. This is found in mines of gold,
silver, copper, and iron, as Theophrastus writes; and it is often
found in veins by itself. He adds, that the best kind is brought
from Sinopia, and next to that is the earth of Lemnos, where, among
the threea species of earth which (as it is said) were found in a heap,
(tumuletto) was the rubrica fabrile}3 He mentions, that in addition
to the places named by Pliny and Dioscorides, it is also found in
Germany, and according to Strabo, in Spain, and that this last kind
was in no degree inferior to Sinopia. That there were three kinds
of Rubrica, the first soft, which stained the hands ; the second less
soft, which stained less ; the third was hard, and was called stone
(sasso), which did not stain the hands unless they‘ were wet. This
last, I consider to be the Lapis Amatita, the fibrous red Hsematite, the
Glebae of Eraclius, the Albin of the Spaniards. He adds, that all
three kinds were used by painters. (Book n. p. 202.) The pale
coloured Rubrica is probably Armenian Bole.
Cennino says, “ there is a natural red pigment called Sinopia or
porphyry, that this colour is naturally transparent and drying. It
bears grinding well, and the more it is ground the better it is. It is
good for painting either on pictures or walls in fresco or in secco.”
Cenn. Chap. 38.
a One species of earth appears to have been the Rubrica, another Bole, the
third white, the last two were Argillaceous.
b Rubrica fabrile. This proves the pigment to have been an ore of iron, since
the term/aiirzte or fabrile is applied to working in iron—which is called L’Arte
fabbrde.
OF THE COLOURS USED
earth, called also Terra Sigillata, was considered next in value to
Minium (vermilion), and none was allowed to be sold without having
been previously marked with the seal of Diana (a goat, the Turkish
seal was afterwards substituted for this), for which reason it was
also called “ Sphragis.” The painters ordinarily laid a ground of
this under vermilion, and sophisticated it in many ways.—See Pliny,
Book xxxv.
Dioscorides says, this red ochre of Sinopia is very fine : it is heavy,
dense, and of the colour of liver without any mixture of stone ; it is
equally coloured throughout, and if put into water diffuses itself equally.
Geo. Agricola says, that the earth which the Greeks call Milto,
because it is red, is called Rubrica. This is found in mines of gold,
silver, copper, and iron, as Theophrastus writes; and it is often
found in veins by itself. He adds, that the best kind is brought
from Sinopia, and next to that is the earth of Lemnos, where, among
the threea species of earth which (as it is said) were found in a heap,
(tumuletto) was the rubrica fabrile}3 He mentions, that in addition
to the places named by Pliny and Dioscorides, it is also found in
Germany, and according to Strabo, in Spain, and that this last kind
was in no degree inferior to Sinopia. That there were three kinds
of Rubrica, the first soft, which stained the hands ; the second less
soft, which stained less ; the third was hard, and was called stone
(sasso), which did not stain the hands unless they‘ were wet. This
last, I consider to be the Lapis Amatita, the fibrous red Hsematite, the
Glebae of Eraclius, the Albin of the Spaniards. He adds, that all
three kinds were used by painters. (Book n. p. 202.) The pale
coloured Rubrica is probably Armenian Bole.
Cennino says, “ there is a natural red pigment called Sinopia or
porphyry, that this colour is naturally transparent and drying. It
bears grinding well, and the more it is ground the better it is. It is
good for painting either on pictures or walls in fresco or in secco.”
Cenn. Chap. 38.
a One species of earth appears to have been the Rubrica, another Bole, the
third white, the last two were Argillaceous.
b Rubrica fabrile. This proves the pigment to have been an ore of iron, since
the term/aiirzte or fabrile is applied to working in iron—which is called L’Arte
fabbrde.