Heavenly Blues? Three Blue Pigments and Their Roles in European Art

(image: detail Titian's Bacchus and Ariadne, National Gallery London)

When Yves Klein said: “blue has no dimensions, it is beyond dimensions”, he was connecting with a deep history of blue’s celestial, otherworldly associations. This talk will bring blue down to earth by exploring the material histories of three blue pigments in European Art from the medieval period up to the 21st century. Our journey will begin in the earth– in the mines of 16th century Saxony where cobalt was mined to produce a blue pigment that would become a staple in Rembrandt’s palette. Next, we will examine how Prussian Blue, first produced in Germany, was re-framed through global trade and gained new meanings and associations during the course of its travels. Lastly, we will take a fresh look at the most famous celestial blue in European art history, Ultramarine Blue, and how its material legacy continues in new, and sometimes unsettling, ways. The histories of artist pigments not only paint a picture of artistic evolution but also reveal a tapestry woven with threads of geology, geography, politics, and religion, illuminating the diverse and interconnected history of humanity's relationship with colour.

Delivered by Evie Hatch.

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A replay will be available to members of the Art Historical London database.