historical recipes

DOERNER INSTITUT, BAYERISCHE STAATSGEMÄLDESAMMLUNGEN, MÜNCHEN (GERMANY)
Back to the Roots – Workshop on the Preparation of Historical Lake Pigments
23–25 March 2011
Original recipes
The laboratory recipes followed during the workshop were derived from historical
recipes, modified to study certain parameters for the purposes of the CHARISMA
project, including the effects of the temperature of extraction of the dye and the order
of addition of the reagents, and also to make them easy to use in the laboratory. The
original recipes are given below.
Weld (and other sources of yellow dye)
Recipes for yellow pigments tend to be variants of one of the three given below,
whatever the source of dyestuff. One point to bear in mind is that different sources of
dye are more or less rich in colouring matter, thus although the same recipes can be
used for dyer’s broom as for weld, it will probably be necessary to increase the
amount of plant material used. Unripe buckthorn berries are rich in dyestuff and
probably rather less will be needed than the amount of weld suggested. Young fustic
is not as common an ingredient as the other plant sources; it appears most frequently
in 17th- and 18th-century recipes, often used together with buckthorn berries and/or
weld.
1) Plant material extracted with water and treated with potassium carbonate and
potash alum
Recipe derived from Robert Dossie, The Handmaid to the Arts, 2 vols, London, 1758,
vol. 1, pp. 95–6. This is for Light pink, a buckthorn lake, but the author suggests that
any suitable plant material can be used. The golden or brownish yellow obtained from
buckthorn was apparently more popular in the eighteenth century than the acid yellow
given by weld.
‘Take of French berries one pound. Boil them with a gallon of water for an hour: and
then strain them off; and add two pounds of pearl-ashes, dissolved and purified by
filtering through paper. Precipitate with alum dissolved in water, by adding the
solution gradually, so long as any ebullition shall appear to be raised in the mixture.
When the sediment has thoroughly subsided, pour off the water from it; and wash it
with several renewed quantities of water, proceeding as has been before directed in
the case of lake, etc.; and then drain off the remaining fluid in a filter with a paper
covered with a linnen [sic] cloth; and lastly dry it on boards in small square pieces.’
1
The proportions were altered slightly for weld as it usually gives a less strong colour
than buckthorn.
Used for: Standard weld lake recipe, recipe 1 (Code: WL-Std); Unripe buckthorn
berry recipe 1 (Code: UBB-Std); Dyer’s broom lake recipe 1 (Code: DB-Std); Young
fustic lake recipe 1 (Code: YF-Std)
2) Plant material extracted with water and treated with potash alum and calcium
carbonate
Recipe derived from 15th-century Italian recipes for arzica: A.P. Torresi, Tecnica
artistica a Siena: Alcuni trattati e ricettari del Rinascimento nella Biblioteca degli
Intronati, Ferrara 1993: Codex L.XI.41 (Siena, Biblioteca Comunale degli Intronati),
no. XX, p. 46. Compare M.P. Merrifield, Original Treatises dating from the XIIth to
XVIIIth Centuries on the Arts of Painting, 2 vols., London 1849, vol. II: Segreti per
colori (the Bolognese Manuscript), no. 194, pp. 482–5. A very common type of
recipe.
i) Sienese MS version. Chome siffa l’arzicha. Tolle una libra d’erba ghualda, la quale
adoperano e tinori, et tagliala ben trita. Et mettela in una vaso invetriato, o vuoi
stangnato, et mettevi tanta acqua che chopra l’erba, et falla tanto bollire che torni per
mezo. Poi la chola in una chatinella cor una pezuola bene netta, poi tolle due once di
tevertino molto bene e sottilemente macinato, overo due once di biaccha et meza
oncia d’allume di roccho macinato, et mette le dette cose in su la chatinella
subitamente, inanzi che l’acqua si fredi, et mette le cose appocho appocho, tuttavia
rimenando l’acqua tanto che sia presso che freda. Et quando è bene freda, et tu ne
chava l’acqua, et abbi uno mattone nuovo chavato et mettevi dentro l’arzicha e
lassavela molto bene risidere dentro.
Poi la poni in su un’assicella a secchare. Et verratti fatta.
ii) Bolgonese MS version. A fare larzica bona e bella. Piglia libra una de herba gualda
la quale opera li tentore et tagliala ben minuta poi la pone in uno vaso vitriato o vero
stagnato et metice tanta acqua che copra la dicta herba et falla tanto bulire che torni
per mita et se mancasse laqua arigiognicine quanto bolla et non piu poi poi [sic] tolli
once doi de travertino molto bene macinato overo doi once di biacca et meza oncia de
allumj de roccho bene subtili poi mete tutte queste cose a bulire in lo dicto baso
subitamente nante laqua se fredda et tu ne cava via laqua poi tolli uno mattone novo
cavato in mezo et metice dentro lo colore de larzica et lassala reposare multo bene poi
la pone in su una asicella bene polita a seccare e de fatta.
Translation from the Bolognese manuscript version: ‘To make good and fine arzica. –
Take one pound of weld, which the dyers use, cut it very fine, then put it into a glazed
or tinned vase, and add to it enough water to cover the herb. Make it boil until the
water is half wasted, and if there is not enough water add a sufficient quantity and no
more; then take 2 oz. of travertine finely ground, or 2 oz. of white lead, and ½ oz. of
roche alum ground very fine, then put all these things together a little at a time to boil
in the vase directly, before the water cools, and stir the water continually, remove the
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vessel from the fire, and when nearly dry, pour off the water. Then take a new brick
hollow in the middle, lay the arzica in it, and let it settle perfectly; then put it on a
small and well polished board to dry, and it is done.’
Note that although the laboratory recipe uses calcium carbonate and chalk is widely
used in the preparation of yellow pigments, this Italian recipe suggests the use of
ground travertine marble or lead white. In practice various white materials, chemically
often forms of calcium carbonate, seem to have been used in the preparation of yellow
lake pigments.
Used for: Weld lake recipe, recipe 6 (Code: WL-Al-Ch); Unripe buckthorn berry
recipe 2 (Code: UBB-Al-Ch)
3) Plant material extracted using lime water
Recipe derived from Valentin Boltz von Rufach, Illuminirbuch, Basel 1549, facsimile
edn, ed. C.J. Benziger, Munich 1913, rep. Schaan (Liechtenstein) 1982, p. 73. Schütt
gäl. Very popular text; recipe and its variants appear in many sources.
Schütt gäl. Nimm gilb plumen zu latin genannt Flos tinctorius, das sind gäle plumen
so die ferber bruchen, nims mit stengel und plumen alss mit einander wie vil du wilt.
Mach ein kalchwasser, thun das luter rein kalch wasser ab dem kalch über die plumen
in einen kessel oder grossen hafen. Lass es also wol sieden, das die gilbe wol fürer
komme. Thunss dann ab dem für, und lass es ein wenig überschlahen. Darnach güss
es durch ein sack oder tuch in ein subers gschirr, das kein krut oder blumen mehr
daran syg. Nimm dan wlgeribne kriden und noch einest so viel wolgeribnen akun
darin. Rürss wol durcheinander mit eim stecklin. Und hab gut sorg das es dir nit
überuss styg, dann die krijt und alun tribens hefftig. Lass es also stohn. so würt das
wasser luter, so bald sich die substantz wider gsetzt., so güss das wasser oben ab bis
du zu der farb magst kommon. Die nimm dann und dörr sy. Ryb sy an, wandu es
bruchen wilt mit alant wasser oder dünnerm lym wasser.
Summary translation: Take the yellow flowers called in Latin Flos tinctorius: the
yellow flowers used by dyers. Take the stalks and flowers as much as you wish. Make
a lime water and pour over the flowers in a large kettle. Leave to soak so that the
yellow colour comes out. Put on the fire and cook a little. Filter through a bag or cloth
until clear of flowers and plant matter. Then take well rubbed (i.e. ground) chalk and
as much alum rubbed (ground) and stir it well under with a small stick and take care
that the chalk and alum do not float on the surface. Leave it to stand until the water is
clear and the substance has settled out. Decant off the liquid. The colour can be
ground and used with alum water or a thin glue solution (note: intended for minature
painting or similar on paper or parchment).
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To be prepared ahead of time: lime water – Soak about 100 g calcium hydroxide
(Ca(OH)2) in about 2.8 l distilled water for about 2 weeks. This will give an
approximately 3 % solution, pH about 12; filter through a fluted Grade 1 Whatman
filter paper and is ready for use.
Used for: Weld lake recipe, recipe 7 (Code: WL-lime-Ch)
Madder
The technology of madder pigment production is not entirely straightforward. Very
early European madder pigments (Classical Greek or Roman, for example) and, at the
other end of the time scale, late 18th- and 19th-century madder lakes were prepared
using dyestuff extracted directly from the root. From about the later 14th to the 17th
centuries, the most common source of dye seems to have been madder-dyed wool
rather than the root itself. The recipes have been chosen with this in mind.
1) Colouring matter extracted from root using water; potash alum and alkali then
added to precipitate the lake
a) With heating.
Recipe from Lorenzo Marcucci, Saggio analitico-chimico sopra i colori minerali e
mezzi di procurarsi gli artefatti, gli smalti e le vernici, 2nd edn, Rome, 1816, p. 121:
Lacca rossa di Rubbia.
Lacca rossa di Rubbia. Questa si fa colla decozione della detta radice, laquale è
conosciuta sotto diversi nomi perchè I Francesi la chiamono Garance, I Tedeschi
Krappwurzel, ed è la rubbia Tinctorum di Linneo, la medesima alligna in molte parti,
ma la migliore è quella che ci viene dalla Zelanda. Il metodo di fare questa lacca, è di
porre in un vaso di terra inverniciato ben grande libre 15. (5086 gr, 08) di acqua, ed
una lib. (339 gr, 07) di rubbia di Zelanda, e si fa bollire finchè sia ridotto il fluido a
libre 12 (4068 gr, 86) si filtra per tela forte, e con espressione si fa sortire tutto il
fluido, a questo vi si uniscono oncie otto (226 gr, 05) di allume di rocca, si passa il
liquore in altro vaso, dove vi sia una libra (339 gr, 07) di acqua piovana che tenga in
soluzione oncie tre (84 gr, 77) di sale di tartaro alcalino, o carbonato di potassa, si
formerà all’istante la precipitazione accompagnata da effervescenza, per cui resterà
sulla superficie del liquore della schiuma, che si deve togliere, indi si raccoglie il
precipitato sopra di un filtro di tela guarnito di carta suga, e sopra il medesimo, si lava
con acqua tiepida per levarle il sapore di salso, e si fa seccare all’ombra.’
Summary translation: Put 15 lbs (5086.08 g) water and one pound (339.07 g) Zealand
madder in a glazed earthenware vessel; boil until the liquid is reduced to 12 lbs
(4068.83 g – that is, by one-fifth). Filter through a cloth, pressing out the liquid. Add
8 ounces (226.05 g) rock alum. Pour the liquid into another vase containing a pound
(339.07 g) rain water containing in solution three ounces (84.77 g) of alkaline sodium
tartrate or potassium carbonate. Instantly a precipitate is formed, accompanied by
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effervescence forming a scum on the surface which should be removed. Filter on a
cloth filter fitted with blotting paper; wash to remove salts, dry in the shade. (The
conversions to grams are those given in the recipe.)
Finely ground madder root is to be avoided: it is very difficult to filter and to separate
from the pigment.
i) The solutions used in this recipe are quite concentrated and the volumes quite small;
the amounts of water used were therefore increased in the laboratory recipes to make
the solutions easier to manage. The actual proportions are:
5 g coarsely-ground madder root and 75 ml water, reduced to about 60 ml
2.5 g potash alum
0.94 g potassium carbonate in 5 ml water.
Used for: Standard madder lake recipe, recipe 1 (Code: ML-Std); Wild madder lake
recipe, recipe 1 (Code: WM-Std)
ii) In all these late-18th- and 19th-century madder recipes the alum is added to the
dyestuff solution and this seems to be the case with other colouring matters as well; in
earlier periods the dyestuff was extracted or mixed with the alkali (lye) first and this
was almost always in liquid form. To see the effect this might have on the colour or
exact composition of the final pigment the order can be reversed, adding the
potassium carbonate to the dyestuff solution and precipitating with alum solution, to
see what effect this has on the final pigment (use 12–15 ml distilled water to dissolve
2.5 g alum).
Used for: Madder lake recipe, recipe 6 (Code: ML-pot-Al)
b) Without heating.
To observe the effect of temperature by extracting the dyestuff at a lower temperature,
we can simply soak the root overnight before heating and proceeding with the recipe,
but there is a recipe we can follow, that of Sir Henry Englefield, 1804, for which he
received a gold medal from the Royal Society of Arts: H.C. Englefield, ‘XVIII.
Processes for preparing lake from madder’, Philosophical Magazine, Series 1, vol. 21,
issue 82, March 1805, pp. 118–25 (see also P.F. Tingry, The Painter’s and
Colourman’s Complete Guide, 3rd edn, London, Sherwood, Gilbert and Piper, 1830,
pp. 120–21).
‘Another process for madder lake. Enclose two ounces troy of the finest crop madder
in a bag of fine and strong calico, large enough to hold three or four times as much.
Put it into a large marble or porcelain mortar and pour on it a pint of cold, clear, soft
water. Press the bag in every direction, and pound and rub it about with a pestle as
much as can be done without tearing it; and when the water is loaded with colour,
pour it off. Repeat this process till the water comes off slightly tinged, for which about
five pints will be sufficient. Heat all the liquor in an earthen or silver vessel till it is
near boiling, and then pour it into a large basin, into which a troy ounce of alum
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dissolved in a pint of boiling soft water has previously been put. Stir the mixture
together, and, while stirring, pour in gently about an ounce and a half of saturated
solution of subcarbonate of potash. Let it stand till cold to settle; pour off the clear
yellow liquor, add to the precipitate a quart of boiling soft water, stirring it well; and
when cold separate, by filtration, the lake, which should weigh half an ounce.
If less alum be employed, the colour will be somewhat deeper; with less than threefourths of an ounce, the whole of the colouring matter will not unite with the alumina.
Fresh madder root is equal, if not superior to the dry.’
To be prepared ahead of time: Make up and use a saturated solution of potassium
carbonate (K2CO3: he used potassium hydrogen carbonate, KHCO3): very little will
be needed and a solution of about 2 g potassium carbonate in 20 ml distilled water
may be easier to manage. The quantities to be used are:
i) 5 g coarsely-ground madder root, in a little bag, in 50 ml distilled water, with
further portions of distilled water, totalling 150 ml. Total used 200 ml.
2.5 g potash alum in 50 ml distilled water in a large beaker; keep hot. Have the
potassium carbonate solution described above ready. Heat the dye solution to about 80
ºC and add to the alum solution in the large beaker, stirring all the time, then add
potassium carbonate solution until precipitation is complete (check the pH – it should
be about 6 or 7: as this reaction is carried out in quite dilute solution the effervescence
is not necessarily very marked).
OR (ii) Soak 5 g coarsely-ground madder root in 200 ml water overnight (or longer)
and then heat to about 80 ºC as before, but not too rapidly: allow about 30 to 45
minutes for this to take place. Complete the preparation as described above.
Used for: Procedure (ii) is similar to Madder lake recipe, recipe 5 (Code: ML-DB40c),
except that this is carried out at 40 ºC, rather than 80 ºC (essentially a modification of
the standard recipe as far as quantities of reagent are concerned).
2) Colouring matter extracted from madder-dyed wool using alkali; lake pigment
precipitated using potash alum.
Recipe derived from a 15th-century south German recipe in Heidelberg,
Universitätsbibliothek MS cod. pal. germ. 620, ff. 73–74, Chapter 43; the database
source gives the original German text and a translation into modern German: see
Doris Oltrogge, Datenbank mittelalterlicher und frühneuzeitlicher
kunsttechnologischer Rezepte in handschriftlicher Überlieferung, Fachhochschule
Köln, Institut für Restaurierungs- und Konservierungswissenschaften.
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This recipe is one of many. The wool dissolves to a greater or lesser extent depending
on the strength of the alkali; in this case the recipe suggests that it will not dissolve
completely although it will do so in part.
Wyldu machen gute laka das ist ain varb für die malir die varb mach also nym
puochein oder aychein aschen vnd tu als vil kalich dar ein vnd mach ein kaltgoß dar
ab aufs hertest du mügst vnd nym dann scherbol von scharlach vnd leg sy in die laug
vnd laß sy dar ynn ligen iij oder iiij tag vnd nacht dar nach nym sy vnd tann so nym es
vnd tuo es in ainen verglasten hafen vnd secz es auf ain gluot vnd laß es wol
erwarmen vnd rür es mit der hant als lang das du vor hicz der hant nymmer erleyden
mügst darynn vnd zwing sy durch ein tuch in ein sawbers peck vnd laß es erkalten
vnd nym gestossen alaun vnd temperir in mit wasser vnd spreng ein wenigs oben auf
das wasser so velt die varb gen poten so geus das wasser her ab vnd nym die varb vnd
trücken sy an aim schaden
Übersetzung
Wenn du eine gute Lacca machen willst, das ist eine Farbe für die Maler, dann mache
die Farbe folgendermaßen: nimm Buchen- oder Eichenholzasche und gib ebenso viel
Kalk dazu und mache einen Kaltguß daraus, so stark wie du kannst. Und nimm
danach Scharlach-Scherwolle und lege sie in die Lauge und laß sie darin drei oder
vier Tage und Nächte lang liegen. Danach nimm sie und dann nimm sie und gib sie in
einen glasierten Topf und stelle den auf eine Glut und laß sie gut erwärmen und rühre
sie mit der Hand so lange, bis du die Hand vor Hitze nicht mehr darin haben kannst.
Und presse sie dann durch ein Tuch aus in eine saubere Schale und laß sie kalt
werden. Und nimm zerstoßenen Alaun und mische ihn mit Wasser und sprenge ein
wenig oben auf das [Farb-]wasser, dann fällt die Farbe zu Boden. Danach gieße die
Flüssigkeit oben ab und nimm die Farbe und trockne sie im Schatten.
English translation: If you want to make a good lake, which is a colour for painters,
make the colour as follows: Take beech or oak wood ash and add as much lime (CaO)
and make a cold solution [of lye] (i.e. add cold water; leave it to stand; pour off the
supernatant liquor which will be strongly alkaline, in effect potassium hydroxide or
caustic potash, KOH) as strong as you can. Take then shearings of scarlet [here dyed
cloth, rather than the variety of cloth of this name], place them in the lye and leave
them there for three or four days and nights. Then take them (ie the mixture) and put
them in a glazed pot, put it on a glowing fire and allow it to heat well until you can no
longer put your hand in due to the heat. And press it through a cloth into a clean bowl
and allow it to become cold. And take crushed alum and mix it with water and
sprinkle a little over the coloured water, then the colour will fall to the bottom. Then
pour the liquid above off, take the colour and dry it in the shade.
To be prepared ahead of time: 0.3M potassium hydroxide (KOH), representing an
alkali of similar strength to that obtainable by this method: 16.833 g in 1 litre; The
madder-dyed wool needs to be cut up as small as possible to give fine fluff.
Used for: Madder lake recipe, recipe 2 (Code: ML-Fleece)
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3) Colouring matter extracted from root using potash alum solution; precipitated with
potassium carbonate.
This was the method used by Marggraf in about 1771 and variants of it continued in
use through the 19th century. This version is from Constant de Massoul, A Treatise on
the Art of Painting and the Composition of Colours, London, 1797, pp. 208–9
(translated from French, but there never was a French edition: the author had a
Manufactory and shop at 136 New Bond Street, London). Later versions do not boil
the solution during extraction of the madder, or allow it to cool down.
‘ ...The Lake the least liable to change is that extracted from Madder. To make this
Lake, take Roman alum; when it boils, add some Madder coarsely pulverised, then
boil it several times and when cold, filter it through a cloth; afterwards heat it
sufficiently to take off the chill and precipitate it with a solution of vegetable fixed
Alkali, after which it is washed and dried.’
Used for: Madder lake recipe, recipe 7 (Code: ML-EBAl) is similar, except that the
solution was not boiled or allowed to cool. The quantities of reagents are those used in
the standard madder recipe above.
Cochineal
1) Conventional 16th- or 17th-century style lake on hydrated alumina substrate
Recipe from: Mary P. Merrifield, Original Treatises dating from XIIth to XVIIIth
Centuries on the Arts of Painting, 2 vols, London 1849 (reprinted New York, Dover
1967), Vol. 2, ‘Segreti per colori’ (the Bolognese Manuscript), no. 110: To make good
and fine lake, pp. 432–5.
Affare laccha bona e bella. Tolli lb j de cimatura de grana de rosato e mectila in ranno
fortissimo facto de cenere la quale usa li tentori in una pignatta vitriata nova e polla al
foco a bullire et bolla pianamente per spatio de doi pater nostri poi mecti el ranno et la
cimatura per uno collatoro netto de panno de lino et premilo forte cum mano siche
tutto el ranno escha fora et poi repone el dicto ranno a bullire de novo senza ala
cimatura et bolito el gieta sopra ala cimatura che e in lo collatoro et preme forte el
colatoro [sic] cum mano siche tutto el ranno escha fora bene et ripollo da parte et la
cimatura gietta via et lava molto bene il colatoro siche non vi rimanga veruno pelo de
la ditta cimatura poi tolli once cinque dalumi de rocho spolverizato subtili et metilo a
poco a poco per volta in el dito ranno per infino che el ranno tutto quasi se converti in
una schiuma grassa in fino al fondo et mail se vole finare de mistare el dicto ranno
cum uno cochiaro netto per infino che se fredda bene e che se strenga poi meti el ditto
ranno stretto in lo dito collatoro lavato et cola tucto lo ranno e la lacha remara de
dentro et lassala tanto stare in lo ditto collatore che ella se seche bene poi la pone in
una catinella de terra vitriata piena daqua fredda et chiara et rimenala et sfregala bene
cum le mano tanto che se diffaccia et tutta quella schiuma che vena a summa da
principio se vole giettare via cum una penna et lava bene lo colatura et ripone suso
questa aqua ove hai stemperato la lacha et laqua chiara uscira fuori insiemi cum lo
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alumi et questa se chiama la purgatione de lo alumj et quando la dicta lacha sera quasi
sciuta et tu latra del dicto colatoro et cum uno colltello largo la spiana in una tegola
nova et lassalo seccare alombra et nante che se fornischa de seccare fanni li pezi a tuo
modo et lassa seccare e de facta. Et sappi che quando se fa quella purgationi de lo
allumj tanto e piu bella piu viva et melglio. Et nota questo secreto che se tu voli che la
lacha habbia piu vivo collore et mai non perda quando la dicta cimatura bolle metice
tanta assa fetida quanto una castagna et stara bene.
‘To make good and fine lake. Take 1 pound of clippings of Rosato [she says this is
wool dyed with kermes], and put them into very strong ley made of ashes, such as the
dyers use, in a new glazed jar, and set it on the fire to boil, and boil it slowly for the
space of two paternosters, then pass the ley and the shavings through a clean linen
strainer, and press it strongly with the hand so that all the ley may pass out; then put
back the ley to boil again without the clippings, and when it is boiled, throw it on the
shavings which are in the strainer, and press the strainer hard with the hand so that all
the ley may run out, and put it by. Throw away the shavings and wash the strainer
well, so that there may not remain in it any hairs of the shavings. Next take 5 oz of
roche alum in fine powder, and put it a little at a time into the ley, until the ley begins
to settle, which you may know by its turning almost entirely to a thick scum, from top
to bottom, and you must keep on mixing the ley with a clean spoon until it becomes
cool and settles; then put the ley into the clean strainer and strain it all off, and the
lake will remain on the strainer. Let it remain on the strainer until quite dry, and then
put it into a small basin of glazed earth full of clear and cold water, and stir it and rub
it up well with the hand until it diffuses itself; all the scum which rises to the top at
first must be thrown away with a feather; then wash the strainer well and pour into it
the water in which you have put the lake, and the clear water will pass out along with
the alum, and this is called purifying it from the alum. And when the lake is nearly
dry, remove it from the strainer, and spread it out with a broad knife on a new tile, let
it dry in the shade, and before it has done drying, cut it into pieces according to your
fancy, and let it dry, and it is done. And know that the more it is purified from the
alum, the more beautiful and lively and the better it is. And observe this secret, that if
you wish the lake to have a brighter colour and one which will never change, when
the shavings are boiling, add a lump of assafetida [this is astringent] as large as a
chestnut.’
This recipe would have been used for a lake containing kermes dyestuff, or
conceivably the dye from one of the Old World Porphyrophora species of scale insect
such as Polish or Armenian cochineal (so-called); cochineal itself would not have
been available until about the second half of the 16th century. Pigment analyses
suggest that cochineal dyestuff was frequently extracted from silk, rather than wool
(indicated by the frequent presence of ellagic acid derived from the weighting of silk)
and in fact this is often the case for kermes as well; thus dyed silk was used here. The
silk must be cut as finely as possible to give a fluffy material.
Used for: Cochineal lake recipe 1 (code: C-silk); Kermes lake recipe 1 using dyed silk
(New code: Kerm-silk)
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2) Cochineal lake made directly from the insects, not from dyed textile
Recipes for pigments and inks made from cochineal insects directly appear in the 17th
century and one example appears in the so-called Paduan Manuscript (which is
Venetian): Mary P. Merrifield, Original Treatises dating from XIIth to XVIIIth
Centuries on the Arts of Painting, 2 vols, London 1849 (reprinted New York, Dover
1967), Vol. 2, ‘Ricette per far ogni sorte di colore’ (the Paduan Manuscript), no. 116:
Another sort of fine lake, pp. 702–3. This can also be used for kermes.
Un altra sorte di lacca fina. R. Piglia 12 grani di cocciniglia, o grana fina fatta in
polvere, si pone in due oncie di lissivio lasciandola in infusione due hore incirca poi si
cola per pano lino, e si mette sopra cenere calda, quando vorrà bollire vi si aggiunge
quanto due piselli d’ allume di rocca in polvere, quando il liscivo farà schiuma grossa
incarnata all’ hora si getta tutto in un panno lino steso, e passarà il lissivo chiaro
restando la schiuma nel panno, quale si fa seccare, e si fa tavolette.
‘Another sort of fine lake. Take 12 grains of powdered cochineal, or fine grana [more
accurately, 12 grains of cochineal or fine grana – kermes – powdered], add to it two
ounces of ley; leave the infusion for about two hours; strain it through a linen cloth
and put it over hot cinders. When it boils, add to it pulverised roche alum of the size
of two peas, when the ley will make a thick red scum; as soon as this happens throw it
all onto a stretched linen cloth, when the clear ley will pass through, leaving the
coagulum on the cloth, which coagulum must afterwards be dried and made into
tablets.’
It is not clear whether ‘grains’ here refers to individual insects, or the grano weight,
equivalent to 0.052 g (old Venetian weights), but the concentration of dye in
cochineal is so high (about 20% of the mass of the insect) that it could well be the
former, translating as 12 insects in 50 ml 0.1M potassium carbonate solution. In the
case of kermes this would give a less satisfactory result, however, as this insect is at
least ten times less rich in dye than cochineal. The alternative interpretation would be
0.624 g ground insects in 50 ml alkali, which would give a very deep colour for
cochineal, but not for kermes (or not that generally available). The recipe used was
intended to give a pigment similar to that obtained form silk, but by-passing the silk
stage, thus the quantity of cochineal used was calculated accordingly and the other
quantities used are as in the first cochineal recipe. For kermes the quantity must be
increased by a factor of ten at least.
Used for: Studied, but the quantities for Cochineal lake recipe 2 (code: C-pot-Al)
Kermes lake recipe 2 (Code: Kerm-pot-Al) based on Cochineal recipe 1.
10
3) Tin-containing cochineal carmine pigment
Recipe from J.F.D Riffault Deshêtres, A.D. Vergnaud and C.J. Toussaint, Nouveau
manuel complet de fabricant de couleurs et de vernis, new edn, ed. F. Malepeyre and
E. Winckler, 2 vols, Paris, Librairie Encyclopédique de Roret, 1884, vol. 2, p. 158
(also found in J. Lefort, Chimie des couleurs pour la peinture à l’eau et à l’huile,
Paris 1855, p. 185.) Methods of this type appear in various parts of Europe from the
latter part of the 18th century onwards. The designation ‘Chinese’ seems to be more
common in 19th-century French recipes, less so in German.
‘Les Chinois préparent le carmin de cochenille en faisant bouillir 625 grammes de
cochenille et 3 à 4 grammes d’alun dans 15 à 20 litres d’eau de rivière. Au bout de
quelques minutes d’ébullition, on retire du feu, on filtre, on laisse reposer, puis on
verse goutte à goutte dans cette liqueur, une dissolution d’étain faite avec 300
grammes de sel ordinaire, 500 grammes d’acide nitrique, et 120 grammes d’étain de
Malacca en grenaille. Le carmin se précipite, on le sépare par voie de décantation,
puis on le jette sur un filtre qu’on fait sécher à l’ombre.’
English translation: The Chinese prepare cochineal carmine by boiling 625 g
cochineal and 3 to 4 g alum in 15 to 20 litres of river water. After several minutes
boiling, the mixture is removed from the fire, filtered and left to stand, then a solution
of tin made with 300 g ordinary salt, 500 g nitric acid and 120 g granulated Malacca
tin is added dropwise to the liquor. the carmine precipitates; it is separated by
decantation, then it is thrown onto a filter and allowed to dry in the shade.
Note that, in all versions of this recipe, the amount of tin solution to add is not
specified. Any excess tin(IV) oxide formed during the reaction will simply act as an
extender.
Used for: Cochineal lake recipe 3 (code: S-Sn)
Kermes – see Cochineal
Lac
Recipe from: Mary P. Merrifield, Original Treatises dating from XIIth to XVIIIth
Centuries on the Arts of Painting, 2 vols, London 1849 (reprinted New York, Dover
1967), Vol. 2, ‘Segreti per colori’ (the Bolognese Manuscript), no. 129: To make good
lake, pp. 446–7. This is a typical late 14th- to 15th-century Italian recipe. The use of
stale urine (containing ammonia) as an alkali, either on its own or as an ingredient
with wood ashes, is also typical.
11
‘Affare lacha bona. Accipe orina d’homo quella quantita che voj et mectila in uno
vaso per spatio de 8 dj poi la pone in una pignatta e falla tanto bollire che non faccia
piu schiuma poi ne fa lixia cum cenere forte poi tolli gomma de lacca cruda et pistala
minuto commo panico poi la pone in uno pignatto novo vitriato poi vi pone de la dicta
liscia de hurina che sia bene chiara et necta et miscola bene cum uno bastone et fa che
la hurina o vero la dicta liscia sia calda quando la pone sopra ala gomma et commo e
bene mista poi ne cava fora quella liscia pianamente cosi collorato et metila in una
concha vitriata poi tolli allumj de rocho bene subtili et stemperalo cum aqua poi de
questa aqua alumata ne pone in questa concha dove e la liscia gomata e collorita et
quando tu vede che se comincia a pigliare non vene mectare piu poi tolli quella che e
arapresa et mectila in una pezza a modo de uno colatoro et apicala ad alto et lassala
scolare poi tolli quella scolatura et rimectila in su la pintola dove arimase la gomma et
mista bene poi nella cava et fa commo facesti prima poi reitera una altra volta et cosi
ne fa de tre sorte la prima e migliore la seconda meno la terza mancho. Et sappi che la
liscia vole esser fortissima facta de hurina et de cenere recocta et mecterla sopra ala
gomma pista bene calda et mecti la gomma in una torcefecio o colatoro de panno de
lino poi ve mecti suso lo ranno bene caldo piu volte poi la luma et secala et quello che
te rimane nel colatoro ancho secalo daparte et e facto.’
‘To make good lake. Take of urine as much as you like and put it into a vase for the
space of a week; then pour it into a pipkin and make it boil until no more scum arises.
Then make it into a ley with strong ashes. Next take raw gum lac and pound it as
small as panic, put it into a new glazed pipkin, and add to it some of the ley of urine,
which must be quite clear, and mix it well with a stick; let the urine or ley be warm
when it is poured upon the gum, and when it is well mixed, pour off gently the ley so
coloured, and put it into a glazed jar. Then take roche alum in fine powder and mix it
with water; then put some of this alum water into the shell containing the ley coloured
with the lac and when you see that it begins to froth, do not put any more. Then put
that which has coagulated into a piece of linen like a strainer, hang it up high, and let
the water run off; then take the drainings and put them back into the pipkin where the
gum was still left, and mix it up well. Then pour it out, and repeat this another time
thus making 3 sorts of lake; the first best; the second not so good; and the third worst.
And know that the ley must be very strong, made with urine, and baked ashes, and it
must be poured very hot upon the powdered gum, putting the gum on a filter or
strainer of linen, then pour the hot ley several times upon it; afterwards add the alum,
and dry it; and also dry by itself what remains in the strainer, and it is done.’
Only one grade of pigment was made. In many lac recipes the ground sticklac is
boiled in the alkali (the more or less contemporary recipe in the Strasbourg
Manuscript is a good example) and as a result it is unavoidable that a marked amount
of the alkali-soluble shellac material will be present in the final pigment. (Compare
The Strasburg Manuscript: A Medieval Painter’s Handbook, tr. V. and R. Borradaile,
London: Alec Tiranti, 1966, pp. 34–5 (see also E. Berger, Quellen und Technik der
Fresko-, Oel und Tempera-Malerei des Mittelalters, Munich: Georg D.W. Callwey,
1897, pp. 143–76.). This is one of several similar recipes in a family of closely related
south German manuscripts: compare that in Amberg, Staatl. Provinzialbibliothek Ms.
77 (the Amberger Malerbüchlein), dating from about 1492, f. 223: see Doris Oltrogge,
12
Datenbank mittelalterlicher und frühneuzeitlicher kunsttechnologischer Rezepte in
handschriftlicher Überlieferung, Fachhochschule Köln, Institut für Restaurierungsund Konservierungswissenschaften
Used for: Lac lake recipe 1 (Code: Lac-pot-Al)
Redwood lakes
Different colours can be obtained depending on how the precipitation is carried out.
1) Recipe from: Mary P. Merrifield, Original Treatises dating from XIIth to XVIIIth
Centuries on the Arts of Painting, 2 vols, London 1849 (reprinted New York, Dover
1967), Vol. 2, ‘Segreti per colori’ (the Bolognese Manuscript), no. B. 136, To make a
perfect colore de grana, such as is worn by cardinals, with verzino (i.e. brasil –
sappanwood), pp. 452–5. Original Italian text with English translation.
A fare perfecto collore de grana cardinalesco cum verzino, etc. Tolli una libra de
virzino et raspalo overo taglialo atraverso minuto quanto se po et mectilo a bollire in
aqua pioviana chiara overo aqua di fiume cioe che sia mezo broco et fallo bollire tanto
che se sceme per mita et innante che leve la caldara dal fuoco habbi una libra dalumj
de roco et fallo bollire per uno patri-nostro et sera vermiglio et levalo dal fuoco et
lassalo fredare tanto che tu ce possi tenere la mano et mectice dentro aceto bianco et
se tu el voli cardinalesco non ce mectare aceto ma mectice lisia forte et haraj tre
colore. Et se voli che quello che romane al fondo de la caldara a bolire ne la piu forte
liscia che poi havere et fa che calle le doi parte et sera perfecto violato etc.
‘To make a perfect colore de grana, such as is worn by cardinals, with verzino. Take
a pound of verzino, and rasp it, or cut it across as fine as possible, and put it to boil in
half a kettleful of clear rain or river water; reduce the water one half, and before you
take the kettle off the fire, add a pound of roche alum, and make the water boil for the
space of one paternoster, and it will become red, then remove it from the fire and let it
cool until you can keep your hand in it, and pour white vinegar into it. and if you
require a colour such as cardinals wear, do not put vinegar to it, but strong ley. And
you will have three colours if you like to boil what remains at the bottom of the kettle
in the strongest ley that you can get; let it be reduced by two-thirds, and it will be a
perfect violet.’
The recipe given is for the second of these three colours, ‘such as cardinals wear’,
with alum and alkali. If desired the 0.1M potassium carbonate solution can be used to
precipitate the lake; about 100–150 ml (equivalent to about 1.4–2 g K2CO3) may be
needed, however, and it may be more convenient to make up a stronger solution: 2–
2.5 g K2CO3 in about 50 ml water would represent a 0.3M solution (or reduce the
quantity of water still further if desired).
Used for: Brazilwood lake 1 (code: Br-Al-pot)
13
2) Another recipe from the Bolognese Manuscript: Merrifield 1849, Vol. 2, no. 120,
To make a colour like grana with verzino, pp. 440–1. This should give a pigment of a
different red colour.
Affare collore de grana cum verzino. Tolli verzino raso subtilj et metilo a mollo in
ranno da capo forte bene quato te paia che stia bastevole per spazio de 3 di poi lo fa
bullire al fuoco lento in uno pignata vitriato per infino a tanto che sia consumpta la
quarta parte poi poni subito uno poco dalumj zucarino et uno pocho dalumj de rocho
spolverizato poi lo mistica cum uno bastone bene et poi lo lassa fredare et poi lo stilla
per filtro et ripollo bene turato et haverai bono collore de grana.
‘To make a colour like grana with verzino. Take verzino scraped fine, and soak it in
ley as strong as you think proper for the space of 3 days, then let it boil over a slow
fire in a glazed vessel until the fourth part of it is consumed; then add to it
immediately a little alum zucarino, and a little roche alum in powder, and mix it well
with a stick; then let it cool, pass it through a filter, wrap it up closely, and put it
away, and you will have a good colour like grana.’
(See also no 114, pp. 436–9; 122, pp. 440–3 127, pp. 444–5). No indication is given
as to when the alkali should be filtered off the shavings of wood. The choice is to do
this before or after boiling the alkaline solution and before precipitation with the
alum.
Recipe: Assume a standard alkali prepared from calcined potassium tartrate (from
wine lees) or wood ash: this will be essentially potassium carbonate (K2CO3) solution
and with a strength of perhaps about 0.1M.
Used for: Brazilwood lake 2 (code: Br-ov)
3) Munich Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Clm. 20174, from the monastery of
Tegernsee, dated 1464–73; f. 206r, Chapter 200, Sucus pro Rosula, and ff. 206r–v,
Chapter 201, Quomodo Rosula fiat. See Doris Oltrogge, Datenbank mittelalterlicher
und frühneuzeitlicher kunsttechnologischer Rezepte in handschriftlicher
Überlieferung, Fachhochschule Köln, Institut für Restaurierungs- und
Konservierungswissenschaften.
This is one of many recipes for rose-pink brazilwood pigments, consisting of an
extract of the wood mixed with chalk, ground marble, ground egg shells, ground
cuttlefish bone (all calcium carbonate), or sometimes gypsum (calcium sulphate),
together with alum, is added. Sometimes lead white is used and the resulting pigment
is opaque; those made with chalk or gyrpsum are translucent. Frequently the white
(gypsum, chalk or lead white) is simply added to thicken the red liquid to give it some
body and it is used thus; it is not filtered. The wood may be extracted using water,
alkali, vinegar, wine or some mixture of these.
14
Sucus pro Rosula. Item wild dw machen sucum zu ainem Roslein so nym prisilig vnd
sy yn ain klayns tegel oder müschel. oder yn ain ander ding. vnd schab dar an alaun.
vnd geus dar auf ain essich. Wild dw sy gesotten haben. so thuo sy yn ain hefenlein
vnd alaun dar ein vnd geus dar auf was dw wild. essich oder wein.
Item cum suco secz ab das rosel
Übersetzung
Saft für die Roselfarbe [Rosula]. Wenn du Saft für eine Roselfarbe machen willst,
nimm Brasilholz und [gib] es in einen kleinen Tiegel oder eine Muschel oder ein
anderes Gefäß. Und schabe Alaun dazu und übergieße das mit Essig. Wenn du es [das
Brasilholz] gekocht haben willst, gib es in ein kleines Tongeschirr und gib Alaun dazu
und gieße nach Belieben Essig oder Wein daran.
Item, mit dem Saft setzt man die Roselfarbe ab.*
Quomodo Rosula fiat. Item wild machen ain Rosel. tunc accipe testa ouorum. et sicca
in fornace vel vbi volueris. Postea accipe lixiuium recens vnd scharff. vel kalchgüs id
est aquam calcis. vnd laß dar yn waichen per diem vel mediam. postea bene laua in
eadem aqua calcis vel lixiuio tamdiu ut nulla pellicula remaneat in illo. quo facto
peluim accipe et pone in eam et mitte siccari. postea pone in mortario et tere quasi in
puluerem. postea contere melius super lapidem sicut vnum alium colorem vel
cynobrium. donec fiat sicut farina. postea pone in testam paruam vel quo volueris et
mitte siccari. Dar nach wann du das rosel wild machen. so nym dy zerriben ayer schal.
vnd thuo sy yn ain muschel oder tegel vnd geus dar an den sucum. vnd leg dar ein
ganczen gumi. das sy fayst werd. vnd auch nicht zufayst id est nimis pinguis. vnd
streichs dar nach wo dw hyn wild. probatum est vnd secz ab mit dem sucum von der
prisilig
Übersetzung
Wie die Roselfarbe [Rosula] gemacht wird. Wenn du aber eine Roselfarbe machen
willst, dann nimm Eierschalen und trockne sie im Ofen oder wo du willst. Danach
nimm frische scharfe Lauge oder einen Kalkguß, das ist Kalkwasser, und laß [die
Eierschalen] darin einen Tag oder einen halben einweichen. Danach wasche sie gut in
diesem Kalkwasser oder dieser Lauge, so lange, bis kein Häutchen mehr darin
verblieben ist. Wenn du das gemacht hast, nimm ein Becken und lege [die
Eierschalen] hinein und laß sie trocknen. Dann gib sie in den Mörser und zermahle sie
wie ein Pulver. Danach reibe sie noch besser auf dem Stein wie andere Farben oder
Zinnober, so lange, bis sie wie Mehl sind. Hierauf gib sie in eine kleine Schüssel oder
worein du willst, und laß sie trocknen. Wenn du dann die Roselfarbe machen willst,
nimm die verriebenen Eierschalen und gib sie in eine Muschel oder einen Tiegel und
gieße den Saft* darüber und lege ein Stück Gummi darein, so daß [die Farbe]
dickflüssig wird, aber nicht zu dick, d.h. nicht zu dick [Wiederholung in Latein]. Und
streiche sie auf, wo du willst. Das ist erprobt. Setze [die Malerei] ab mit dem Saft von
Brasil.
Summary translation: In the first recipe, the extract is made: brazilwood shavings are
mixed with alum and vinegar in a small dish or mussel shell. If it is to be heated, use
an earthenware dish, adding alum and vinegar or wine. This extract can then be used
for the Roselfarbe, made by the addition of calcium carbonate: ground egg shells in
15
this case. In the second recipe, egg shells (calcium carbonate) are dried in the oven
and cleaned of all membrane and other matter by soaking them for a day in alkali or
lime water. They are then dried and ground to a fine powder like flour. Sufficient is
then mixed with the brazilwood-alum extract to thicken the liquid as desired to give a
pink pigment. Wine or white wine vinegar or water can be used.
Used for: Brazilwood lake 3 (code: Br-Ch-Al)
16