Van Gogh Oil Paint - Madder Lake Light, 40 ml tube

Pigment Information

This color contains the following pigments:

PR83-Alizarin Crimson

PV19-Quinacridone Violet

Pigment Name

PR83-Alizarin Crimson

Pigment Type

organic

Chemical Name

1,2-dihydroxyantraquinone

Chemical Formula

C14H8O4

Properties

Alizarin Crimson, the traditional cool counterpart to Cadmium Red, is a clear ruby-red with a maroon masstone and a bluish undertone. It is the artist's principal deep red pigment, is transparent, and has good tinting strength. It creates bright rosy pinks when mixed with white, a range of purples and violets when mixed with strong blues, can be slow drying when used with oils, and is compatible with all other pigments. Permanent Alizarin Crimson mixes well with Ultramarine in acrylic and watercolor form. Permanent Rose and Quinacridone Rose are possible alternatives on a watercolor palette. Alizarin Crimson is a popular glazing color.

Permanence

Alizarin Crimson is considered fugitive or marginally lightfast, and the appropriateness of its use in the modern artist palette is a subject of debate. There are many concerns regarding its permanence, particularly when mixed with ochre, sienna, and umber, or when used thinly. It is the least permanent red commonly used by today’s artists. Modern synthetic preparations of Alizarin Crimson have better permanence and lightfastness that the original natural pigment, which was extracted from the madder plant. Quinacridone pigments have been used to create a modern hue that closely matches the original hue, but many artists object that the transparency and handling characteristics are not the same as for the original.

Toxicity

Alizarin Crimson can be slightly toxic if it comes into contact with skin and may cause some allergies. There is no significant acute toxicity.

History

The word alizarin comes from the Arabic word al-usara, meaning juice. The base ingredient of this pigment is the Madder plant (Rubia Tinctorum). It was used for dyes and inks among craftsmen in Ancient Persia, India, and Egypt as early as 1500 BC In 1804, George Field, an English dye maker, developed Madder Lake by binding madder to alum, a white powder. The German chemists Carl Grabe and Carl Liebermann produced the first synthetic variety of this pigment, most commonly known as Alizarin Crimson, in 1868. They used anthracene, which greatly improved the lightfastness. The Colour Index International designation PR83:1 has been used to identify this synthetic laked pigment.

Pigment Name

PV19-Quinacridone Violet

Pigment Type

organic synthetic, quinacridone

Chemical Formula

C20H12N2O2

Properties

Quinacridone Red is a high performance, transparent pigment with an average drying time and uneven dispersal. It is another name for Quinacridone Violet (PV19) and Quinacridone Red (PR192). Quinacridone pigments have relatively low tinting strength in general. For this reason, quinacridone colors are often expensive, because more pigment is required in the formulation.

Permanence

Quinacridone Violet has excellent lightfastness and is considered the most lightfast organic pigment in this shade range.

Toxicity

Quinacridone Violet has no known acute hazards. Overexposure to quinacridone pigments may cause skin irritation. Quinicridone pigments contain a compound found to be a skin, eye, and respiratory irritant.

History

Although quinacridone compounds became known in the late 19th century, methods of manufacturing so as to make them practical for use as commercial pigments did not begin until the 1950s. Quinacridone pigments were first developed as coatings for the automotive industry, but were quickly adopted by artists.