![Giorgio Vasari (1511–1574) used earth colors, including ochre and sienna, in his frescos such this in the Hall of the Five Hundred at the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence.[13] In his writings Vasari referred to sienna as terra rossa.](http://morrowarchival.com/cdn/shop/files/ef6600d2-2fe1-4c68-a1df-de97288e224a-copy.jpg?v=1769982487&width=1946)
Raw Sienna Pigment
Raw Sienna Pigment
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![Giorgio Vasari (1511–1574) used earth colors, including ochre and sienna, in his frescos such this in the Hall of the Five Hundred at the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence.[13] In his writings Vasari referred to sienna as terra rossa.](http://morrowarchival.com/cdn/shop/files/ef6600d2-2fe1-4c68-a1df-de97288e224a-copy.jpg?v=1769982487&width=1445)
Description
Raw Sienna is a natural, handmade single earth pigment made through a historical process of extraction, drying, and fine grinding from raw earth extracted from France. This pigment is composed of iron oxide and clay, giving it a warm, golden-brown hue with subtle transparency. It is highly valued for its soft, natural tone and ability to create rich, glowing layers in paintings.
Raw Sienna has exceptional lightfastness, making it highly durable for both classical and contemporary artwork. It blends seamlessly with other earth pigments, offering warm and harmonious tones in painting. Its Semi-Transparentquality allows for excellent glazing, layering, and soft shading effects in oil, watercolor, and tempera applications. Compared to synthetic yellows and browns, it provides a soft and organic color, ideal for landscape, portrait, and decorative painting.
History
Sienna pigments have been in use for thousands of years, with evidence of their application in prehistoric cave paintings. Their natural abundance and stability made them one of the most important earth pigments in human history.
During antiquity, Raw Sienna was widely used in Egyptian, Greek, and Roman murals, pottery, and frescoes. Its warm, natural tone made it a favorite for creating lifelike flesh tones and sunlit highlights. The pigment was first sourced from the region around Siena, Italy, which gave it its name.
In the Renaissance, artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, and Titian extensively used Raw Sienna for underpainting and glazing techniques. Its warm, golden undertones made it an essential pigment for rendering skin tones, landscapes, and luminous effects in oil painting. In the pictured artwork 'The battle of Marciano in Val di Chiana' by Giorgio Vasari, raw sienna is used throughout the painting and underpainting to create rich warmth and warm browns and oranges through mixing.
By the 18th and 19th centuries, sienna was mined and processed in multiple regions beyond Italy, including France, Cyprus, and England. The pigment remained a staple in fine art, particularly for creating atmospheric effects and naturalistic color gradations in academic painting techniques.
Today, Raw Sienna continues to be one of the most widely used earth pigments in fine art, conservation, and restoration due to its historical authenticity and warm, natural hue.
Pigment Information
Pigment Type: Natural (Iron Oxide) from minerals (Goethite - FeO(OH))
Suitable Mediums: Watercolor, Oil, Tempera, Acrylic, Encaustic, Cold Wax, Casein, Milk, Swedish Flour, Lime / Fresco
Lightfastness: Best
Opacity: Semi-Transparent
Other Names: Terre di Siena, Golden Earth, Natural Yellow Earth
Color Index Code: PY42
Image: 'The battle of Marciano in Val di Chiana' by Giorgio Vasari