brazilwood lake pigment

Ingredients

brazilein, alum, lead white, calcium carbonate

Preparation Steps

Original Recipe Text

As described in Section 1.2 (p. 274), the dye brazilein is extracted from the rasps of the wood using an alkaline or neutral solution and complexed with a metallic ion, usually by adding alum. In the Alfonsine manuscripts, it was applied in two distinct ways: in the Rich codex and Book of Games, it appears as a thin varnish-like layer without additives (p. 286); in the Musicians' codex and Lapidary, it was used as a thick layer mixed with lead white, and sometimes fillers like gypsum or calcium carbonate (p. 286).

Evidence

"The pinks and purples identified in all the manuscripts have a colorant in common: brazilwood lake pigment. It was identified through its absorbance spectra, with a maximum of around 555 nm."

Remarks

This is the first reported use of brazilwood lake pigment in European medieval manuscript illumination (Abstract, p. 272). It was considered a luxury color (p. 274). In the Rich codex, light/dark contrast was achieved by controlling paint thickness over the parchment (p. 279, 290).