3,400-Year-Old Ancient Egyptian Painting Palette Still Contains Remnants of Pigments

[tinkertrain]

Amazing how it looks just like our palettes:

3,400-Year-Old Ancient Egyptian Painting Palette Still Has Pigments Preserved on It

What a brilliant peek into the tools of artists from 3,400 years ago!

mymodernmet.com

 

[Grapes]

WOW

 

[Artyczar]

So neat to see.

 

[joe1It]

strong

 

[stlukesguild]

It actually looks like one of those crappy watercolor sets that we have kids use in school.

 

[P. Barrie]

Thanks for posting this! I must have missed this in art history class .
I investigated further for pigments used

Pigments through the Ages - Antiquity

www.webexhibits.org

 

[musket]

Anybody wants some real Egyptian blue, no problem.

Kremer Egyptian blue

These people have everything.

 

[Artyczar]

Miss seeing you around musket. Welcome back.

 

[tinkertrain]

Kremer does indeed have everything! According to the link on Pigments through the ages P. Barrie shared, you can definitely build your own Egyptian palette:

Realgar
Egyptian blue
Azurite Natural
Madder Lake Genuine
Red Moroccan Ochre
Orpiment Genuine
Malachite Natural
Raw Umber

Amazing! (if probably very expensive)

stlukesguild I know what you mean, the first thing that jump to my mind when I saw it was the classic Prang set:

 

[musket]

I wouldn't mess around with realgar or orpiment; they're arsenic and of course very dangerous.

Thanks, arty.

 

[stlukesguild]

Miss seeing you around musket. Welcome back.

Yes, I was starting to get a bit worried myself.

 

[musket]

Thanks.

My RA is acting up; got nasty and painful little nodules on my fingers, including the tips, which make the amount of typing I can do in a day limited. Last Monday I had my first infusion of a new drug (new to me) which is supposed to be the best for this. Five hours and fifteen minutes of sitting in a chair with a needle in my arm. Not my idea of a good time. The final one is next Monday, but for only four hours. Oughta be a picnic by comparison. There's also a very small (but still very real) chance this drug will give me an untreatable, irreversible brain virus that will turn me into a vegetable and then kill me, or maybe just turn me into a vegetable.

Loads of laughs.

 

[stlukesguild]

Sorry to hear this. With regard to typing, have you thought of using a dictation program?

 

[Artyczar]

Oh no musket. I'm so sorry! I hope you don't have these horrific side effects and instead it helps your RA. ((((((((())))))))

 

[musket]

Thanks again.

As usual with RA drugs, I won't know for some time, at least a month-six weeks and maybe longer... if it works at all. It might not; most all of them have only a 50% chance. Humira has a 60% chance and works miracles on those for whom it's efficacious, but six months worth did nothing for me.

I could never use a dictation program, SLG. I couldn't even write on a typewriter in a straight line from A to B anymore--word processing just makes it too easy to edit. Talking, fergit it.

As for progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, well, let's hope not.

 

[P. Barrie]

Musket, I hope the best for your treatment.

 

[E.J.H.]

I am kinda weary of historic pigments for own use, I don't see the point. If they are not in general use anymore it's for good reason; Either too toxic, too expensive or with a lousy lightfastness (hello madder lake). There is always a better modern alternative.
Interesting yes, but only "academically"...

Musket, good to see you posting again, and sorry to hear your RA is acting up. Wish you all the best and hope that treatment has the intended effect.

 

[E.J.H.]

I'd like to add, what a beautiful and luxurious paint set this is. Very stylish design, expensive material, ivory. It intrigues me too, the similarity to modern watercolor pan sets, I wonder about the binder used in the paint. Gum arabic must have been available. I am sure they have analyzed the composition of the paints...?

 

[musket]

Thanks for the kind thoughts.

Some historic pigments do have advantages over their modern "equivalents" if used for specific purposes that take advantage of their particular characteristics, but most don't. Many are used primarily by conservators who want the originals.

I don't know about binders, but I would expect something a little stronger than gum arabic alone.

 

[john]

Great to see you posting again musket. Hope the treatment works.

Supposedly lead white oil paint has properties that titanium and zinc do not. Some artists are hoarding lead powder.