Hello and welcome to the Sennelier Atelier
I am Yves-Marie Salanson, the artistic Director
Today I am talking about ultramarine blues
ultramarine synthetic colors to be more precise!
Because a long time ago, when one spoke of Ultramarine Blue
one spoke of its natural version
resulting from lapis-lazuli
It is a rare stone and therefore very expensive
The Italians in the 15th century brought lapis lazuli from Afghanistan,
where the main deposit is located.
The pigment arrived by boat, by the sea, hence its name,
the blue "Utramarina", that is to say the blue that comes from the sea.
This is the natural version of ultramarine,
but for 150 years, when we talk about ultramarine
we mean synthetic pigments.
A long and difficult focus, with very important issues
In 1826, one wants so much to find an artificial lapis lazuli
that a competition is created to motivate the searches.
Whoever formulates synthetic ultramarine pigment
at less than 300 francs per kilo
(10 times cheaper than natural)
will receive 6,000 francs
from the National Industry Encouragement Society,
an association whose aim was to promote commitment of France
in the Industrial Revolution
(and catch up with our English friends)
A chemist, Jean-Baptiste Guimet, will succeed this feat and will become very rich
in developing this formula artificial blue ultramarine.
The company he founded to produce it will later become the company Pechiney.
He is a lover of art, he is married with the daughter
of the painter Jean-Pierre-Xavier Bidauld.
His son, an art lover and traveler, will create magnificent collections of works of art
and will give his name to the Museum of Oriental Arts
in Paris, the Guimet Museum.
With industrialization and a high demand in many activities,
such as the blueing of linen,
to launder linen,
one of the activities for which
the ultramarine pigment was widely used
production is increasing rapidly
and the ultramarine blues of Jean-Baptiste Guimet
are up to 3000 times cheaper than lapis lazuli.
He quickly gives samples of his discovery to painters.
As early as 1827, we find this new pigment
in the gigantic Ingres artwork,
the triumph of Homer, especially in the light blue drapery of this figure
standing on the left.
Turner uses it as early as 1834
Technically, this pigment is classified as Color Index PB29,
it is a transparent pigment that gives
a rather warm blue that pulls on red.
It is made from a mixture of calcined kaolin,
sodium carbonate and sulfur.
The mixtures are cooked several times,
but it is especially the very long cooling time, up to 18 days,
which will give the liveliness of the tone.
At Sennelier it is present in all ranges,
and sometimes in more or less clear versions, such as extra-fine oil.
There is a clear ultramarine blue, a dark ultramarine blue and an ultramarine.
I take the opportunity to clarify that it is not the addition of white
that makes it clearer, but that these variations are obtained
with pigments inherently lighter or darker.
Some are lighter, others are darker
there is several ultramarine
it exists also green and purple ultramarine
I wish you much success in your artworks
with these ultramarine blues
which you will now use with another look.
I hope also you enjoyed this video, if so
do not hesitate to like, comment, and share
Thank you, bye
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