Database of Painting Pigments

Name Formula Age Colour Source Comments Other names

Antimony white Sb2O3 1920,[3] white [1,3]
Lithopone ZnO+BaSO4 1870s,[4] white [1,3]
Permanent white BaSO4 Beg of the 19th c [3] white [1,3] Base for lake pigments [3] Barium white, Barytes, Blanc Fixe
Titanium white TiO2 Beg of the 19th c white [1]
White lead 2PbCO3*Pb(OH)2 [1], 2Pb(CO3)2*Pb(OH)2 [2] antique white [1,2]
Zinc white ZnO 1800 white [1,2]
Zirconium oxide ZrO2 white [1]
Chalk CaCO3 antique white [1,2]
Gypsum CaSO4*2H2O white [1]
Aluminium hydrate Al(OH)3 mid 19th c white [3] transparent
Aluminium stearate Al(C18H35O2) white [3] flatting agent in laquers
Bone white Ca3(PO4)2 (85.90%), CaCO3 grayish white [3]
White bole Al2O3*2SiO2*2H2O white [3] priming material on canvas China Clay, Kaolin, Pipe clay
Auripigmentum As2S3 before antique white [1,2]
Cadmium yellow CdS 1830 yellow [1,2]
Cadmium yellow lithopone CdS+BaSO4 yellow [3]
Chrome yellow 2PbSO4*PbCrO4 [1] PbCrO4 [2,3] 1809 yellow [1,2,3] Turner used; Fairly permanent to light
Cobalt yellow K3[Co(NO2)6]*1,5H2O [1] K3[Co(NO3)6]*H2O [2] 1806 white [1,2]
Lead-tin Yellow Pb2SnO4/Pb2SiO7 15th-17th c; again in 1941 yellow [1,2]
Massicot PbO yellow [1]
Antimony yellow Pb(SbO3)2/Pb3(SbO4)2[1], Pb(SbO3)2/Pb(SbO4)2 [2] before antique yellow [1,2] Naples yellow
Strontium yellow SrCrO4 yellow [1]
Titanium yellow NiO*Sb2O3*20TiO2 yellow [1]
Yellow ochre Fe2O3*nH2O (20-70%) yellow [1,2]
Zinc yellow K2O*4ZnO*4CrO3*3H2O yellow [1]
Indian yellow C19H16O11Mg * 5 H2O 15th c yellow [2]
Barium yellow BaCrO4 1809 green-yellow [3]
Chrome orange PbCrO4*PbO 1809 orange [2]
Cadmium orange CdS orange [3]
Cadmium red CdS+CdSe red [1]
Cadmium red Lithopone CdS+CdSe+ BaSO4 1926 red [3]
Cadmium vermilion CdS+HgS red [1]
Chrome red PbCrO4*PbO Beg of the 19th c red [1,3] Readily affected by sulphur gases
Molybdate red 7PbCrO4*2PbSO4*PbMO4 red [1]
Realgar As2S3 before antique red [1,2]
Red lead Pb3O4 antique red [1,2]
Red ochre Fe2O3 (up to 90%) before antique red [1,2]
Vermilion HgS before antique red [1,2]
Antimony vermilion Sb2O3 1842 from orange to red [3] Little used in paint.[3]
Basic copper sulphate Cux(SO4)y(OH)z green [1]
Chromium oxide Cr2O3 green [1]
Chrysocolla CuSiO3*nH2O blue-green [5] [1,2]
Cobalt green CoO*5ZnO [1], CoO*ZnO [2] 1780 green [1,2]
Emerald green Cu(CH3COO)2*3Cu(AsO2)2 1800-1814 green [1,2]
Chrome oxide green transparent Cr2O3*nH2O+H3BO3 1840 green [1,2,3] Guignet green
Chrome oxide green opaque Cr2O3 1862 green [3] Permanent in all painting techniques
chrome green 2PbSO4*PbCrO4 [1] PbCrO4 [2,3] + Al2O3*2SiO2*2H2O [3] + Fe4[Fe(CN)6]3 from first quarter of the 19th c green [3] Mixture of Prussian Blue, Chrome Yellow and China Clay cinnabar green
Malachite CuCO3*Cu(OH)2 [1], 2CuCO3*Cu(OH)2 [2] antique green [1,2]
Verdigris Cu(CH3COO)2*nCu(OH)2 [1], (CH3COO)2*Cu(OH)2*5H2O [2] antique green [1,2]
Green ochre K[(Al,FeIII)(FeII, Mg)](AlSi3, Si4)O10(OH)2 before antique green [2]
Azurite 2CuCO3*Cu(OH)2 antique, Most imp pigment from 15-17th c blue [1,2,3] In a tempera medium mainly [3]
Blue Verditer 2CuCO3*Cu(OH)2 Beg of the 17th c greenish blue [] Chemical composition similar to azurite Blue Bice
Cerulean blue CoO*nSnO2 1860 [2], beg of the 19th c [3] blue [1,2,3]
Cobalt blue CoO*Al2O3 1802 blue [1,2]
Cobalt violet Co3(PO4)2 [1,2], Co3(AsO4)2 [2] 1859 blue [1,2]
Egyptian blue CaO*CuO*4SiO2 antique blue [1]
Manganese blue BaSO4*Ba3(MnO4)2 blue [1,2]
Prussian blue Fe4[Fe(CN)6]3 1704 blue [1,2] Chinese blue, Berlin Blue
Smalt (Co-glass) (K2O+SiO2+CoO) 15th-20th c blue [1,2]
Ultramarine Na8-10Al6Si6O24S2-4 Naturally before 5000 years,Artificially 1828 blue [2]
Antimony black Sb2O3 black [1]
Black iron oxide FeO*Fe2O3 black [1]
Carbon or charcoal black C(95%) before antique black [1,2]
Cobalt black CoO black [1]
Ivory black C+Ca3(PO4)2 antique black [1,2] Bone Black [ ]
Manganese oxide MnO+Mn2O3 black [1]

Sources:
[1] X-Ray Spectrom. 29, 119-129 (2000) R. Klockenkämper, A. von Bohlen, L. Moens Analysis of Pigments and Inks on Oil Paintings and Historical Manuscripts Using Total Reflection X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry
[2] http://www.educeth.ch/chemie/pigmente/pigmente/pigmhaupttab.html
[3] Painting Materials, A short Encyclopaedia R.Gettens1966
[4] http://heritage.dupont.com/floater/fl_lithopone/floater.shtml
[5] http://crownjewels.com/gembook/stones/CHRYSOCOLLA.html

Name	Formula	Age	Colour	Source	Comments	Other names
Antimony white	Sb2O3	1920,[3]	white	[1,3]
Lithopone	ZnO+BaSO4	1870s,[4]	white	[1,3]
Permanent white	BaSO4	Beg of the 19th c [3]	white	[1,3]	Base for lake pigments [3]	Barium white, Barytes, Blanc Fixe
Titanium white	TiO2	Beg of the 19th c	white	[1]
White lead	2PbCO3Pb(OH)2 [1], 2Pb(CO3)2Pb(OH)2 [2]	antique	white	[1,2]
Zinc white	ZnO	1800	white	[1,2]
Zirconium oxide	ZrO2		white	[1]
Chalk	CaCO3	antique	white	[1,2]
Gypsum	CaSO4*2H2O		white	[1]
Aluminium hydrate	Al(OH)3	mid 19th c	white	[3]	transparent
Aluminium stearate	Al(C18H35O2)		white	[3]	flatting agent in laquers
Bone white	Ca3(PO4)2 (85.90%), CaCO3		grayish white	[3]
White bole	Al2O32SiO22H2O		white	[3]	priming material on canvas	China Clay, Kaolin, Pipe clay
Auripigmentum	As2S3	before antique	white	[1,2]
Cadmium yellow	CdS	1830	yellow	[1,2]
Cadmium yellow lithopone	CdS+BaSO4		yellow	[3]
Chrome yellow	2PbSO4*PbCrO4 [1] PbCrO4 [2,3]	1809	yellow	[1,2,3]	Turner used; Fairly permanent to light
Cobalt yellow	K3[Co(NO2)6]1,5H2O [1] K3[Co(NO3)6]H2O [2]	1806	white	[1,2]
Lead-tin Yellow	Pb2SnO4/Pb2SiO7	15th-17th c; again in 1941	yellow	[1,2]
Massicot	PbO		yellow	[1]
Antimony yellow	Pb(SbO3)2/Pb3(SbO4)2[1], Pb(SbO3)2/Pb(SbO4)2 [2]	before antique	yellow	[1,2]		Naples yellow
Strontium yellow	SrCrO4		yellow	[1]
Titanium yellow	NiOSb2O320TiO2		yellow	[1]
Yellow ochre	Fe2O3*nH2O (20-70%)		yellow	[1,2]
Zinc yellow	K2O4ZnO4CrO3*3H2O		yellow	[1]
Indian yellow	C19H16O11Mg * 5 H2O	15th c	yellow	[2]
Barium yellow	BaCrO4	1809	green-yellow	[3]
Chrome orange	PbCrO4*PbO	1809	orange	[2]
Cadmium orange	CdS		orange	[3]
Cadmium red	CdS+CdSe		red	[1]
Cadmium red Lithopone	CdS+CdSe+ BaSO4	1926	red	[3]
Cadmium vermilion	CdS+HgS		red	[1]
Chrome red	PbCrO4*PbO	Beg of the 19th c	red	[1,3]	Readily affected by sulphur gases
Molybdate red	7PbCrO42PbSO4PbMO4		red	[1]
Realgar	As2S3	before antique	red	[1,2]
Red lead	Pb3O4	antique	red	[1,2]
Red ochre	Fe2O3 (up to 90%)	before antique	red	[1,2]
Vermilion	HgS	before antique	red	[1,2]
Antimony vermilion	Sb2O3	1842	from orange to red	[3]	Little used in paint.[3]
Basic copper sulphate	Cux(SO4)y(OH)z		green	[1]
Chromium oxide	Cr2O3		green	[1]
Chrysocolla	CuSiO3*nH2O		blue-green [5]	[1,2]
Cobalt green	CoO5ZnO [1], CoOZnO [2]	1780	green	[1,2]
Emerald green	Cu(CH3COO)2*3Cu(AsO2)2	1800-1814	green	[1,2]
Chrome oxide green transparent	Cr2O3*nH2O+H3BO3	1840	green	[1,2,3]		Guignet green
Chrome oxide green opaque	Cr2O3	1862	green	[3]	Permanent in all painting techniques
chrome green	2PbSO4PbCrO4 [1] PbCrO4 [2,3] + Al2O32SiO2*2H2O [3] + Fe4[Fe(CN)6]3	from first quarter of the 19th c	green	[3]	Mixture of Prussian Blue, Chrome Yellow and China Clay	cinnabar green
Malachite	CuCO3Cu(OH)2 [1], 2CuCO3Cu(OH)2 [2]	antique	green	[1,2]
Verdigris	Cu(CH3COO)2nCu(OH)2 [1], (CH3COO)2Cu(OH)2*5H2O [2]	antique	green	[1,2]
Green ochre	K[(Al,FeIII)(FeII, Mg)](AlSi3, Si4)O10(OH)2	before antique	green	[2]
Azurite	2CuCO3*Cu(OH)2	antique, Most imp pigment from 15-17th c	blue	[1,2,3]	In a tempera medium mainly [3]
Blue Verditer	2CuCO3*Cu(OH)2	Beg of the 17th c	greenish blue	[]	Chemical composition similar to azurite	Blue Bice
Cerulean blue	CoO*nSnO2	1860 [2], beg of the 19th c [3]	blue	[1,2,3]
Cobalt blue	CoO*Al2O3	1802	blue	[1,2]
Cobalt violet	Co3(PO4)2 [1,2], Co3(AsO4)2 [2]	1859	blue	[1,2]
Egyptian blue	CaOCuO4SiO2	antique	blue	[1]
Manganese blue	BaSO4*Ba3(MnO4)2		blue	[1,2]
Prussian blue	Fe4[Fe(CN)6]3	1704	blue	[1,2]		Chinese blue, Berlin Blue
Smalt (Co-glass)	(K2O+SiO2+CoO)	15th-20th c	blue	[1,2]
Ultramarine	Na8-10Al6Si6O24S2-4	Naturally before 5000 years,Artificially 1828	blue	[2]
Antimony black	Sb2O3		black	[1]
Black iron oxide	FeO*Fe2O3		black	[1]
Carbon or charcoal black	C(95%)	before antique	black	[1,2]
Cobalt black	CoO		black	[1]
Ivory black	C+Ca3(PO4)2	antique	black	[1,2]		Bone Black [ ]
Manganese oxide	MnO+Mn2O3		black	[1]