User:Laal Mariposa/Azurite (pigment)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Azurite is an inorganic pigment derived from the mineral of the same name.[1]: 23 It was likely used by artists as early as the Fourth Dynasty in Egypt, but it was less frequently employed than synthetically produced copper pigments such as Egyptian Blue.[1]: 23–26 In the Middle Ages and Renaissance, it was the most prevalent blue pigment in European paintings, appearing more commonly than the more expensive ultramarine.[1]: 26 Azurite's derivation from copper mines tends to give it a greenish hue, in contrast with the more violet tone of ultramarine.[2] Azurite is also less stable than ultramarine, and notable paintings such as Michelangelo's The Entombment have seen their azure blues turn to olive green in time[2]. Azurite pigment typically includes traces of malachite and cuprite; both minerals are found alongside azurite in nature, and they may account for some of the green discoloration of the pigment.[1]: 26 The particle size of azurite pigment has been shown to have a significant effect on its chromatic intensity, and the manner of grinding and preparing the pigment therefore has a major impact on its appearance.[3]