History of Chrome yellow:
Chromium was discovered as a Siberian mineral, called crocoite in the eighteenth century. The mineral is deep orange, a natural form of lead chromate. It was analysed in the late 1790s by the eminent French chemist Nicolas Louis Vauquelin, who identified the new element chromium as the source of the colour. Vauquelin studied the compounds of chromium, and found that he could make bright yellow and rich orange versions of lead chromate, both of which he proposed as potential pigments. The chromium colours did not become widespread, however, until the discovery of chromium-containing mineral deposits in France, USA and Britain. The preparation of chromates of lead, specifically chrome yellow was published by Vauquelin in the Annales de Chimie IXX in 1809.
When was Chrome yellow used?
| Discovery | Used until |
|---|---|
| 1816 | continues in use |
Use of Chrome yellow among paintings in the SchackGallery, Munich:
Source: Kühn
(intro) - Cadmium yellow/red - Chrome yellow - Cobalt yellow - Indian yellow - Lead-tin yellow - Lemon yellow - Naples yellow - Orpiment - Yellow ochre