Lapis Lazuli to Ultramarine Blue
Ultramarine Blue is one of the most storied pigments in art history, coming from lapis lazuli in Afghanistan as early as the second century BC. The name comes to us from the Italian, oltre marino, or “beyond the sea.” During the Renaissance, it was the most expensive pigment used. When the patron requested Ultramarine Blue be used in a painting, the contract would state where it was going to be used and how much money was going to be made available for the purchase of the pigment. Sparked by a competition across Europe in the early 1800’s, a synthetic alternative was developed which has been known as Guimet’s Blue, French Ultramarine Blue, and today it is simply known as Ultramarine Blue.
But I think that even without any of this history, Ultramarine Blue would still be the most used color after white on the artist’s palette.
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