History of Red lead:
Red lead was one of the earliest pigments artificially prepared and is still in use today. It was a favourite of Byzantine and Persian illuminators and commonly used in European manuscripts and paintings. It is seen less on wall paintings and wood panels although widely used in the wall paintings of China and Central Asia. No longer manufactured for artists due its toxic nature and its colour change upon ageing.
When was Red lead used?
| Discovery | Used until |
|---|---|
| Antiquity (Greeks), artificial (Romans) | XIX century |
Use of Red lead among paintings in the SchackGallery, Munich:
Source: Kühn