Ultramarine: The Most Expensive Pigment Ever

The prices of some tubes of paints may make modern-day artists gasp, but often there’s a cheaper alternative, such as a synthetic version of a pigment. Now imagine painting in an era when the most beautiful of all blues was more expensive than even gold, yet because of the symbolism associated with it you simply had to use it. The pigment in question is ultramarine, a colour characteristic of Medieval paintings. Read more...
• Palettes of the Masters: Van Gogh
• Palettes of the Masters: Impressionists
• Palettes of the Masters: Gauguin