Stone Cinnabar Genuine Pigment
Stone Cinnabar Genuine Pigment
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Description
Natural Chinese Cinnabar is a handmade single pigment made through a historical process of finely grinding raw cinnabar stone. This deep, rich red pigment has been prized for centuries for its intense color and smooth application. Unlike synthetic vermilion, natural cinnabar has subtle variations in hue due to its mineral composition.
Cinnabar is highly opaque and possesses a brilliant, warm red hue with slight orange undertones. It has been used extensively in traditional Chinese lacquerware, manuscript illumination, and oil painting. However it requires careful safe handling.
This pigment is most commonly used in oil and tempera painting, though it has been applied in frescoes and manuscript painting throughout history.
Natural cinnabar is renowned for its exceptional color saturation, making it an ideal pigment for artists seeking historical accuracy in restoration projects or traditional painting methods.
History
Cinnabar has been an essential red pigment for millennia, used across multiple civilizations:
In Ancient China, cinnabar was used in painting, sculpture, and lacquerware. It was also highly valued in Daoist alchemy and medicine, where it was believed to grant immortality, though this often led to mercury poisoning. The pigment was commonly found in imperial tombs and ceremonial objects.
The Romans prized cinnabar for its use in fresco painting and cosmetics, though its high cost meant it was often reserved for wealthy patrons. Roman artisans sourced the pigment from Spain's Almadon mines, one of the largest mercury deposits in the world. In the pictured artwork of a wall painting from Room H of the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale, natural stone cinnabar is used extensively for the rich red-orange background and chair.
During the Middle Ages, cinnabar was used extensively in illuminated manuscripts and panel paintings. It was often applied alongside gold leaf to create rich, decorative effects. Due to its high price, it was sometimes adulterated with red lead or artificially manufactured into synthetic vermilion.
By the Renaissance, cinnabar remained a preferred pigment for artists like Titian and Raphael. However, as awareness of its toxicity grew, alternatives like synthetic vermilion became more widely used.
Today, natural cinnabar is rare and primarily used in historical restorations, traditional Chinese painting, and as a collector's pigment.
Pigment Information
Pigment Type: Natural (Mineral)
Source: Cinnabar stone (HgS, Mercury Sulfide)
Country of Origin: China
Suitable Mediums: Watercolor, Oil, Tempera, Acrylic, Encaustic, Cold Wax, Casein, Milk, Swedish Flour
Lightfastness: Best
Opacity: Opaque
Other Names: Stone Vermilion, Dragon's Blood (historically), Chinese Cinnabar
Color Index Code: PR106
Image: Wall painting from Room H of the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale from the MET
Health and Safety
- For art use only. Not for cosmetic, food or children's use.
- Keep out of reach of children and pets. Do not eat, drink or smoke while working.
- Avoid creating or breathing dust. Work in a ventilated area and wear a NIOSH approved dust respirator (P100 or better) when handling dry pigment.
- Wear gloves and eye protection. Wash hands and work surfaces after use, and never rinse pigment into drains.
- Do not spray apply, sand or burn.
- If swallowed or if you feel unwell, contact a poison control center (U.S. 1-800-222-1222) or a doctor.
- Safety Data Sheet available on request.
Caution: Contains mercury sulfide. May cause an allergic skin reaction. Contact with acids releases toxic gas. Never heat or burn, which releases toxic mercury vapor. Not for use by children or by anyone pregnant. Toxic to aquatic life; never rinse into drains. Wear a P100 respirator (full face, or half face with goggles) when handling the dry pigment; N95 and P95 masks are not sufficient.
WARNING: This product can expose you to mercury compounds, which are known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.