Vergaut (Indigo + Orpiment)

Ingredients

indigo, orpiment, yellow dye, saffron, turmeric, Indian yellow, White Lead

Preparation Steps

Original Recipe Text

Vergaut is a mixture of blue (often indigo) and yellow (usually orpiment). Organic yellow dyes like saffron, turmeric, or Indian yellow sometimes replace orpiment (p. 82). In the Shāhnāma manuscripts, white lead was often blended in to adjust the shade (p. 82).

Evidence

"In a folio of the Shāhnāma manuscript RAS 239, a mixture of indigo and yellow dye (most probably Indian yellow) was identified... In most of the manuscripts studied in this project, a mixture of indigo and orpiment was used as green (p. 82)."

Remarks

This combination was the most prized green pigment for Persian painters for depicting trees, plants, and foliage. It has been widely utilized since the 14th century (p. 82-83).