[cs_content][cs_section parallax=”false” separator_top_type=”none” separator_top_height=”50px” separator_top_angle_point=”50″ separator_bottom_type=”none” separator_bottom_height=”50px” separator_bottom_angle_point=”50″ style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]The Chemistry of Art > 1. Pigments in Painting > Early Uses of Pigments >[/cs_text][cs_text style=”color: #800000;font-family: “Oxygen”,sans-serif;”]The early uses of pigments for Cave drawings, Self-decoration including cosmetics and Preparation of the dead for burial[/cs_text][cs_text]Cave drawings:
- Naturally occurring pigments, sometimes mixed with saliva, were drawn directly on cave walls
- Common colours used were red, white, brown, yellow, black
- Ochre (reds and yellows) colours were due to iron (III) oxide in anhydrous or hydrated form
- Red = Fe2O3 (anhydrous)
- Yellow = Fe2O3. H2O (hydrated)
- Brown = FeO(OH) or Limonite
Self – decoration:
- Cinnabar and vermillion (HgS or mercury (II) sulfide) were used by the Romans as blush and lipstick
- Health risks of long term use include
- Highly toxic by ingestion, inhalation and skin contact
- Cumulative poison leads to CNS and kidney damage
Preparation of Dead/ Burial:
- Bodies in ancient Egypt were painted as they were in life
Example: Kohl (Mn02) used to line eyes
- Organs removed and replaced with fluid containing a mixture of resins
- Containers of cosmetics were often entombed with the body
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