The Story of Ultramarine: From Lapis Lazuli to the Tube
Explore how ultramarine went from a precious stone ground by hand to a synthetic pigment, and why this deep blue shaped painting history.
Few colours have as rich a story as ultramarine. For centuries it was among the most valuable materials an artist could buy, kept for the most important parts of a painting. Today you can pick up a tube for the price of a sandwich. The journey between those two points says a great deal about how art, trade and chemistry have interacted.
A stone from far away
Natural ultramarine comes from lapis lazuli, a deep blue stone mined for thousands of years in the mountains of what is now Afghanistan. The name comes from the Latin for "beyond the sea", a reference to the long trade routes by which the stone reached European painters. Because it travelled so far, and because the pigment was laborious to prepare, it was costly.
Making the pigment
Simply grinding lapis does not give a good blue. The stone contains impurities, including pale minerals, which make the powder grey and dull. Medieval and Renaissance workshops used a lengthy extraction process, described in craft treatises of the period, in which the ground stone was kneaded into a paste with wax and resins and then worked in a liquid to release the purest blue particles. The earliest washings produced the finest colour, and later ones gave paler, greyer grades. It was demanding work, which is part of the reason the finished pigment was so prized.
A colour reserved for honour
Because of its price, patrons often specified in contracts how much ultramarine a painter should use. It was commonly reserved for important robes, such as those of the Virgin Mary in religious paintings, and for the sky in the most significant works. Cheaper blues, such as azurite, were used for less important areas. The deep, slightly warm quality of real ultramarine made it unmistakable when used well.
The arrival of synthetic ultramarine
In the early nineteenth century, the supply and cost of lapis remained a problem, and a prize was offered in France for a method of making an artificial version. In the 1820s, chemists produced a synthetic pigment with the same colour, made from common materials heated together. The result was far cheaper and still brilliant, and it quickly became a staple for artists, decorators and even laundry whiteners. The discovery made a rich, reliable blue available to everyone.
Ultramarine at the easel today
Modern tubes of ultramarine are almost always synthetic. It is a warm, slightly reddish blue, which makes it excellent for skies and for mixing violet. It is transparent, which suits glazing, so it pairs well with the layering approach in our guide to glazing for luminous colour. It also mixes with burnt sienna to form some of the best neutrals on the palette, as shown in mixing natural greys. Natural ultramarine is still sold, mainly as a specialist, expensive pigment for those who want the traditional material.
What the story teaches us
Ultramarine shows that the materials of painting have always been tied to economics. Colour was once a luxury, and now it is accessible. Many painters find that knowing this history changes how they look at old paintings, especially those where the blue has stayed vivid for centuries. Next time you squeeze out a dab of ultramarine, remember that it once cost more than many artists could afford.
Frequently asked questions
Is synthetic ultramarine as good as the natural kind? For most purposes, yes. It is consistent, strong and permanent. Natural ultramarine has a subtle, slightly more granular quality that some painters prefer, but it is much more expensive.
Why is the name "ultramarine"? It means "beyond the sea" in Latin, describing the stone's long journey from distant mines to European workshops.
Does ultramarine fade? Good-quality ultramarine is considered lightfast, though it can react poorly with acids. Check the information on the tube if you are unsure.