Madder lake (Alizarin)

/ uh • lih • zuh • ruhn /
Madder lake (Alizarin)

1. Overview

2. History
of use

3. Making the
pigment

4. Technical
details



Brief description of Madder lake (Alizarin):

       Natural dyes from plants (e.g. Madder) added to a white base or substrate. Dyes include dozens of hydroxyanthraquinones (e.g., alizarin) from plants. It is one of the most stable natural pigments. Madder was formerly used in large quantities for dyeing textiles and is still the color for French military cloth. The cultivation of madder root almost ceased after a synthetic method for making alizarin was discovered by German chemists, Graebe and Liebermann, in 1868.

Names for Madder lake (Alizarin):



Pronounciation:

uh • lih • zuh • ruhn

Alternative names:

Artificial variety: alizarin

Word origin:

The name "Madder lake (Alizarin)" comes from Old English word mædere.

Non-English names:

German

French

Italian

Krapplack; artificial variety: Alizarin

Laque de garance; artificial variety: alizarine

Lacca di robbia; artificial variety: alizarina

Chemical name:

1,2-dihydroxyantraquinone

A painted swatch of Madder lake (Alizarin):

Source of Madder lake (Alizarin):

Madder is a dye that is made into a pigmented by "laking" it - binding it to a white powder.

Drawing of the madder plant, and harvesting madder root

Madder (rubia tinctorum L.) (at University of Bristol, UK)

Other reds
(intro) - Madder lake (alizarine) - realgar - red lead - Red ochre - vermilion

Sections:


Look for:

webexhibits.org/pigments - Credits & Feedback - Bibliography