Dear Pat,
I saw your last note, and was reminded of your note of April 15 and your
question about cochineal and cinnabar.
If I start to lecture, please forgive me, I taught chemistry in a college of
pharmacy for 30 years before becoming interested in Danish medieval wall
paintings.
Cochineal is a dye, not a pigment. It appeared in Europe in the early 1500's
as a product of Mexico and Peru. If your interest in red and a dye for cloth
is before 1500, I have no other suggestions. Dyes for cloth are generally
water soluble, and are seldom used for any form painting.
Cinnabar is a pigment, not a dye. It is mercuric sulfide. It has been
available in Europe from prehistoric times because of the large deposits in
Spain. It was used to make paint and was a commercial item in Roman times.
Under some conditions, the mercuric sulfide in changed to mercurous sulfide.
Red changing to black.
The most readily available red pigment in medievasl times was hematite, as
red iron oxide. This is the common "barn red" of early New England.
For an introduction to wall paintings in the Middle Ages, I suggest that you
read parts of Ralph Mayer, "The Artist's Handbook", Viking Press, 1981 which
discusses the preparation of the surface to be painted, and the pigments and
vehicles used.
In the last thirty years or so the study of artist's material in terms of
conservation of old paintings has been intensely studied, and I am sure that
there are other books on this area.
For the dyes used in coloring woven materials, I have no suggestions. I am
sure that they have also been studied and documented. The "hippie" period
looked for "natural dyes", and I am sure that your university reference
librarian can find materials on the use of dyestuffs in medieval times.
I hope that this helps, Jim
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