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PV49—Cobalt Violet Light

Pigment Type

inorganic

Chemical Name

cobalt ammonium phosphate

Chemical Formula

CoNH₄PO₄

Properties

Cobalt Violet PV49 is a lightfast, semitransparent, nonstaining, light violet pigment with low tinting strength. Because of its high cost and low tinting strength, it is generally used only in pure applications.

Permanence

Cobalt ammonium phosphate is completely lightfast. Because of its low tinting strength, tints are susceptible to color shifts, as other materials undergo changes.

Toxicity

Cobalt ammonium phosphate is toxic.

History

Cobalt comes from the Middle High German word kobolt, an underground goblin, because miners thought cobalt harmed silver ores. Cobalt Violet was the first real violet pigment and was described by Salvetat in 1859. The light variety of this pigment, developed in Germany earlier in the 19th century, was particularly poisonous due to its arsenic content. Cobalt Violet hues were the only permanent bright violets available to artists until the 1950s. Cobalt ammonium phosphate has been manufactured since 1859, but its use in artist paints is less common than other forms of Cobalt Violet.

Alternate Names

n/a