Chrome Green Pigment

Description

Chrome Oxide Green is a dense, opaque green pigment made from chromium(III) oxide. It produces a stable, earthy mid-green with slightly bluish undertones, excellent opacity, and superb permanence. Unlike earlier Chrome Greens (mixtures of Prussian Blue and Chrome Yellow), PG17 is a single-compound pigment known for its archival stability, non-reactivity, and resistance to fading.

In watercolor, it provides smooth, velvety washes with a matte finish and subtle granulation. In oils and acrylics, it is highly opaque, mixes cleanly with earths and ochres, and serves as an excellent base green for landscapes and underpainting.

History

Chromium oxide pigments were first prepared in the early 19th century. By 1862, a French chemist perfected the stable form we now call Chrome Oxide Green. It quickly gained popularity because earlier greens (verdigris, malachite, and Chrome Green mixtures) suffered from instability, darkening, or toxicity issues.

By the late 19th and 20th centuries, Chrome Oxide Green (PG17) became a standard industrial and artist pigment thanks to its extreme permanence, heat resistance, and chemical inertness. It was widely used not only in painting but also in ceramics, coatings, and camouflage paints during the 20th century.

In the pictured artwork "Arrival of the Normandy Train" by Claude Monet, Chrome Green is used throughout to create the atmosphere and intense greens of the train station.

Today, PG17 remains one of the most important stable green pigments, valued by fine artists, conservators, and manufacturers alike.

Pigment Information

Pigment Type: Synthetic Inorganic

Chemical Composition: Cr₂O₃ (Chromium(III) Oxide)

Suitable Mediums: Watercolor, Oil, Tempera, Acrylic, Encaustic, Cold Wax, Casein, Milk, Swedish Flour, Lime / Fresco, Ceramics

Lightfastness: Excellent

Opacity: Opaque

Other Names: Chromium Oxide Green, Chrome Oxide, Permanent Green

Color Index Code: PG17

Pictured Artwork: "Arrival of the Normandy Train" by Claude Monet from the Art Institute of Chicago