Merrifield, Mary P.: The art of fresco painting, as practised by the old Italian and Spanish masters, with a preliminary inquiry into the nature of the colours used in fresco painting: with observations and notes (London: Charles Gilpin, 1846)

xlviii

OF THE COLOURS USED

Painting, p. 176. Lagnna adds that Matthioli was satisfied that the
stone called Armenio, was of the same nature as the Cerulea or
Cyano (Lapis Lazuli), but that the former was not perfectly formed
in the mineral veins; “ and in truth we must believe implicitly all he
tells us, for he was a most acute and accurate investigator of the
nature of all minerals.’' We may add that the true Lapis Lazuli is
not produced in Europe but is brought from Asia, especially from
Persia, where it must have been once in great abundance, since we
learn from the book of Esther, c. i. v. 6, that the pavement of the
palace of Ahasuerus consisted “ of red, and blue, and white, and
black marble.” For the description of Lapis Lazuli, see Phillips,
Jameson, Ure, Encyc. Brit. Art. Mineralogy, Tit. Lazulite.
I trust I have now proved satisfactorily that the pigments called
Azzurro, Azzurro della Magna, Ongaro, and Verde Azzurro were
native blue carbonates of copper, and that the latter was the Arme-
nian Stone of Pliny, of Agricola, and of Matthioli. I shall now
endeavour to prove that they were also called “ Azzurri di Spagna,”
and " Azzurri di Vena Naturale.”
■ Malvasia mentions (Fels. Pitt. vol. n. p. 349) that he discovered
in the studio of Cesare Baglione, many years after his decease, “ a
chest full of brushes and colours, that is, earths of all sorts, particu-
larly of verde di miniera, the most precious which the ancients pos-
sessed, the good and genuine sort of which is now lost. Also some
fine Verdetto, and some Azzurri di Spagna, so bright and fine that
even Sirani was deceived by them, and at first mistook them for
ultramarine.” The reference to this passage in the index is as fol-
lows :—“ Azzurri e verdetti di Spagna cosi belli anticamente per i
frescanti oggi perdutisi, ne piii in uso,”—“ Spanish blues and greens,
anciently so fine for fresco painters, now lost and no longer in use.”
Malvasia says “ now lost,” we must first endeavour to ascertain when
they were lost; Sirani, he adds, was deceived by them; now Sirani
died in 1670.
These colours were lost, therefore, previous to 1670, and probably
some time previous, as Sirani did not appear to know them. Cesare
Baglione diedin 1590, having the colours in his possession; they
were therefore in use in 1590, and must have been lost at some
period between 1590 and 1670.