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December 08, 2005
Naples Yellow
One of the oldest synthetic pigments, Naples Yellow [a colour I am particularly partial to and a sample of which you can see in the previous post] was discovered in the 16th century BC. But it has been found in Babylonian tiles dating to the 5th century BC, so I don’t know what’s going on there. Sometimes called Antimony Yellow, for reasons that may [or may not] become apparent.
It’s very stable, not prone to breakdown or tears. It isn’t fugitive either, unlike Rose Madder, which though beautiful is wont to get in amongst neighbouring colours and fuck with their hues. But be careful Naples Yellow is toxic because of the lead, which can kill you, especially if dropped from a great height – like a church roof.
As always, when I start to look into these things, everything becomes suddenly very complicated and incomprehensible. It is, basically, as far as I can tell, Lead Antimonate, which I have to say doesn’t make things much clearer and the pool only gets muddier the further in we wade.
It’s chemically similar to the mineral Bindheimite, which was discovered in 1868 by a German chap called JJ Bindheim [what were the chances of that?], and has an isometric-hexoctahedral crystal system [I hope you're taking notes, there may be questions at the end].
This mineral is mainly found in obscure and unpronounceable places in Russia, [the Adun-Cholon Range, Nertschinsk Mines, Buryatia Republic, Zabaykalye, Eastern-Siberian Region if you must know] though it can be found in Wales [in equally unpronounceable places it has to be said: Hendre Felen Mine, Ysbyty Ystwyth, Ceredigion]
If you’re not into geography, or geology, but you’re into the whole alchemy thing, Naples Yellow can be made as follows:
Take twelve oz. of ceruse, 2 oz. of the sulphuret of antimony, 1/2 oz. of calcined alum, 1 oz. of sal ammoniac. Pulverize these ingredients, and having mixed them thoroughly, put them into a capsule or crucible of earth, and place over it a covering of the same substance. Expose it at first to a gentle heat, which must be gradually increased till the capsule is moderately red. The oxidation arising from this process requires, at least, 5 hours' exposure to heat before it is completed. The result of this calcination is Naples yellow, which is ground in water on a porphyry slab with an ivory spatula, as iron alters the color. The paste is then dried and preserved for use. If you wish it to be more fusible, increase the quantities of sulphuret of antimony and calcined sulphate of alumina.
Otherwise buy it in a tube from Michael Harding.
Posted by john at December 8, 2005 02:25 PM