DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.62783#0061
IN FRESCO PAINTING.
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It would be desirable to ascertain, by analysis of the blue colours
on pictures, what blue pigments have been used in fresco in Italy, in
order to select for future use such as have been found durable, and
to avoid such as have perished.
The method of preparing the carbonates of copper for use as pig-
ments, is by the simple process mentioned by Cennino, (chap. 60),
namely, grinding and washing it, in order to separate the small
stones that are sometimes mixed with it.—See Massoul’s Treatise on
Painting and the Composition of Colours, p. 176. Marcucci Saggio
Analitico, &c., p. 70.
GREEN COLOURS.
The employment of green colours in fresco is attended with less
difficulty than the blue. This arises from several causes, not alto-
gether depending on the pigment used. I allude in the first place
to the mixture of blue pigments with yellow ochres, and to the ten-
dency of blues to become green.
The green pigments used in fresco are terra verde (the nature of
which is too well known to require any description) Verde Montana,
Mountain Green, Lapis Armenus, the Chrysocolla of the ancients, a
native green pigment supposed to be a mixture of oxide of copper,
or, as some say, carbonate of copper with alumina and lime. This
mineral is of an emerald green or verdigris green colour, and some-
times a sky blue.—See Phillips’ Min.p. 309, 313.—Encyc. Brit. p.
228, 289.—G. Agricola de Metal, p. 219, 221.
Andres de Laguna (Translation of Dioscorides, Salamanca,
1570), observes, the use of the mineral or native chrysocolla was
very common centuries ago, for painting the apartments of the
superb palaces of princes, on account of its beautiful green colour,
which is so agreeable to the eyes. The greenest, and the pleasantest
to the sight is that which is found in the mines of copper.
Another species of copper ore, called Earthy ferruginous green copper
ore, which is of a light olive green colour, seems to have been used
li
It would be desirable to ascertain, by analysis of the blue colours
on pictures, what blue pigments have been used in fresco in Italy, in
order to select for future use such as have been found durable, and
to avoid such as have perished.
The method of preparing the carbonates of copper for use as pig-
ments, is by the simple process mentioned by Cennino, (chap. 60),
namely, grinding and washing it, in order to separate the small
stones that are sometimes mixed with it.—See Massoul’s Treatise on
Painting and the Composition of Colours, p. 176. Marcucci Saggio
Analitico, &c., p. 70.
GREEN COLOURS.
The employment of green colours in fresco is attended with less
difficulty than the blue. This arises from several causes, not alto-
gether depending on the pigment used. I allude in the first place
to the mixture of blue pigments with yellow ochres, and to the ten-
dency of blues to become green.
The green pigments used in fresco are terra verde (the nature of
which is too well known to require any description) Verde Montana,
Mountain Green, Lapis Armenus, the Chrysocolla of the ancients, a
native green pigment supposed to be a mixture of oxide of copper,
or, as some say, carbonate of copper with alumina and lime. This
mineral is of an emerald green or verdigris green colour, and some-
times a sky blue.—See Phillips’ Min.p. 309, 313.—Encyc. Brit. p.
228, 289.—G. Agricola de Metal, p. 219, 221.
Andres de Laguna (Translation of Dioscorides, Salamanca,
1570), observes, the use of the mineral or native chrysocolla was
very common centuries ago, for painting the apartments of the
superb palaces of princes, on account of its beautiful green colour,
which is so agreeable to the eyes. The greenest, and the pleasantest
to the sight is that which is found in the mines of copper.
Another species of copper ore, called Earthy ferruginous green copper
ore, which is of a light olive green colour, seems to have been used