Vermilion
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- For other uses, see Vermilion (disambiguation).Template:Infobox color
Vermilion is a reddish orange pigment, used since antiquity, originally derived from the powdered mineral cinnabar. Chemically the pigment is mercuric sulfide, HgS.
Today vermilion is most commonly produced artificially by reacting mercury with molten sulphur, in which case it may also be known as vermilion substitute. Most naturally produced vermilion comes from cinnabar mined in China, giving rise to its alternative name of China red.
As pure sources of cinnabar are rare, natural vermilion has always been extremely expensive. In the middle ages, vermilion was often as expensive as gilding. Today a 225ml tube of genuine Chinese Vermilion oil paint can cost £200 (US $300) [1] (http://www.michaelharding.co.uk/price.htm).
In painting, vermilion has largely been replaced by the pigment cadmium Red, partly because it is cheaper, but also because the colour is more consistent.
Vermilion is also the name of the typical color of the pigment, which is a bright red tinged with orange.
History
Vermilion is one of the oldest pigments used by human beings. There is evidence of its use in China since prehistory. It was known to the Romans; Pliny records that it became so expensive that the price had to be fixed by the Roman government.
The pigment was used throughout Europe from the 12th century, mostly for illuminated manuscripts, although its use didn't become widespread until the 15th century when the artificially produced alternatives started to become available.
See also
References
- Sewanee Chem art (http://www.sewanee.edu/chem/Chem&Art/Detail_Pages/Pigments/vermillion)
- A page on vermilion (http://webexhibits.org/pigments/indiv/overview/vermilion.html)