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1.  Overview     2. History of use     3. Making the pigment     4. Technical details

History of Lead white:               A painted swatch of Lead white: Used since antiquity, lead white was the only white used in European easel paintings until the 19th century. Lead white strongly absorbs X-rays, thus can be detected in paintings easily. It is one of the oldest man-made pigments, and its history dates back to the Ancient Greeks and Egyptians. It was originally made by filling lead jars and pots with vinegar (which is an acid) and burying the pots in manure piles, an ancient source of generating heat. The lead disintegrated into a white powder that was white lead. Of course, more modern methods are used today in making the pigment. Lead white has the warmest masstone of all the whites. It has a very subtle reddish-yellow undertone that is almost unnoticeable unless you are looking for it, or comparing lead white side by side with other kinds of white. This undertone is minimal in the best quality of lead whites. Some companies offer this color under the color title Cremnitz white, but this is a misnomer because the original pigment for Cremnitz white has not been made since 1938. You will notice that lead white has a heavier consistency than other whites. This is because the pigment is particularly dense and does not lend itself to a paint of soft consistency. Lead white is also the fastest drying of all of the whites because of the drying action of the lead pigment upon the oil. This makes lead white particularly valuable for painters who need a relatively fast drying time for underpainting or Alla Prima techniques. Like most good things, lead white has a drawback. Its pigment, basic lead carbonate is toxic. That is why you never see this color in water dilutable paints; it would be too dangerous to use. However, when incorporated into an oil paint and used in a conventional manner with routine hygienic precautions, it can be used safely. Just make sure to keep your hands and clothing clean and free from solvent or painting medium that has been mixed with this color. A little soap and water goes a long way. After all, oil painters have been using lead white for hundreds of years without ill effects, simply by using common sense precautions.   When was Lead white used?             Discovery:      Used until:   antiquity   Partly replaced in 19th century by zinc white and almost fully replaced in 20th century by titanium white.