Priya Kapoor
The 1700s saw a consumer revolution in the British North American colonies, with an influx of British goods such as textiles, furniture, and decorative arts. This included various materials for paint, which was in demand for painting homes and portraits. During this time, paint was typically made from oil and water bases combined with other materials like iron, copper, berries, fruits, and lead to create different colours and types of paint. Paint was mixed on-site and in small batches, with short shelf lives, and applied using brushes with wooden handles. The availability of vibrant, chemically produced colours like Prussian blue and chrome yellow also added to the options for painters in the colonies during the 1700s.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Base material of paint | Oil and water |
| Additional materials | Iron, copper, berries, fruits, lead |
| Brushes | Wooden handles, variety of hairs |
| Issues | Paint thickness made application difficult, coats were uneven |
| Improvements | Marshal Smith's "Machine for the Grinding of Colors" |
| Preferred binding agent by 1800s | Linseed oil |
| Portraiture | Most popular type of painting during colonial period |
| Popular pigments | Prussian blue, chrome yellow, vermilion red, carmine, Venetian red, Indian red |
| Pigment sources | Rocks, metals, roots, berries |
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What You'll Learn
Paint was mixed on-site and in small batches
In the 1700s, paint was typically mixed on-site and in small batches. This was a time-consuming and laborious process, requiring a variety of steps and skills. The base materials for paint during this period were oil and water, which were combined with other materials like iron, copper, berries, fruits, and lead to create different colours and types of paint.
Painters or their apprentices would source and prepare the materials needed to make the paint, a process that could take several hours. For example, clay would be dug up to create earth colours like brown, yellow, and red ochre, which were commonly used during this period. To make the pigment, the clay would be crushed, cooked, or buried in jars. Dry pigments might also be purchased in envelopes from an apothecary or trade supplier, but these still needed to be milled and ground in oil.
Each morning, new paint would be made, with the first coats being mostly colour and the final coats consisting of just varnish. The paint had a short shelf life and was made as needed. The paint was applied to walls and ceilings using brushes with wooden handles, which were made from a variety of hairs. This application process was challenging due to the thickness of the paint, often resulting in uneven coats.
The process of paint mixing and application was a skilled craft, with recipes for colours being closely guarded secrets passed down from master to apprentice. However, with the advent of art academies and an increase in amateur painters, a new trade emerged: the artist's colourman. Businesses began to supply pigments, paints, brushes, and other materials to professional and amateur artists, marking a shift towards the commercialisation of paint.
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Paint was made from oil, water, and other materials
Paint has been used by humans for tens of thousands of years, with early paints being made from natural materials such as coloured rocks, earth, bone, and minerals. These pigments were often ground into powders and mixed with water, saliva, urine, egg, or animal by-products to create paint. In the Middle Ages, a common method of painting was egg tempera, where pigment was mixed with water and egg.
During the colonial period in America in the 1700s, the base materials for paint were oil and water. These were combined with other materials such as iron, copper, berries, fruits, and lead to create different colours and types of paint. The variety of paint available provided homeowners with the paint they needed for their walls and ceilings.
The 18th century saw the advent of chemically produced colours such as Prussian blue and chrome yellow, which gained widespread popularity. In the Renaissance, walnut or linseed oil replaced egg as the base for pigments used on canvas, allowing painters to create new luminous effects in their art.
Prior to the invention of pre-mixed paints in the late 1800s, interior house paint was typically mixed on-site in small batches. These paints had a short shelf life and were made as needed. The main types of paint were oil and distemper, which differed in the binder used to suspend the pigment. For oil paint, the binder was linseed oil, while distemper paint used hide glue and water.
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Paint was used for portraits of the southern elite
During the 1700s, paint was available in the colonies and was used for various purposes, including painting houses and creating portraits. The base materials for paint during this period were oil and water, which were combined with other substances like iron, copper, berries, fruits, and lead to create different colours and types of paint.
Portraiture was a popular form of artistic expression during the colonial period, particularly among the southern elite. Wealthy individuals in the colonies, especially in the South, commissioned portraits to display their status and refinement. Charleston, South Carolina, was home to many of these elite individuals, who built grand mansions and sought out portraitists to paint their likenesses. One such artist was Jeremiah Theus, a Swiss-born painter who settled in Charleston in the 1730s and painted portraits of some of South Carolina's wealthiest citizens.
Henry Benbridge was another talented portraitist who offered miniature watercolour portraits on ivory, providing a more affordable option for those who couldn't commission larger oil paintings. These portraits were often displayed in the first-floor parlours and second-floor ballrooms of the grand mansions of the southern elite.
The availability of paint and the development of new pigments during the 18th century contributed to the popularity of portraiture. Artists during this period had access to a range of colours, including vibrant chemically produced pigments like Prussian blue and chrome yellow. These new colours offered artists a wider palette to work with and allowed for more expressive and diverse portraits.
The consumer revolution of the 18th century also played a role in the popularity of portraiture among the southern elite. With the increased availability of imported goods and the pursuit of refinement, wealthy individuals sought out portraits as a way to showcase their taste and social status. This trend extended beyond just portraits, with the southern elite also investing in decorative arts, fine earthenware, and Chinese porcelains to furnish their sprawling plantation homes.
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Paint was applied to walls and ceilings in homes
During the 1700s, paint was available and applied to walls and ceilings in homes in the colonies. The base materials for paint during colonial times were oil and water, which were combined with other materials like iron, copper, berries, fruits, and lead to create different colours and types of paint. Paint was also made from pigments sourced from the local environment, such as clay, rocks, metals, roots, and berries. These pigments were crushed, cooked, or buried in jars to make colours.
In the 18th century, chemically produced colours like Prussian blue and chrome yellow also became available and were used in homes. These vibrant colours were made possible by advancements in pigment grinding technology, such as Marshal Smith's "Machine for the Grinding of Colours". However, the thickness of the paint often made application difficult and resulted in uneven coats. Paint was typically mixed on-site and in small batches, with linseed oil or hide glue and water used as binders to suspend the pigment.
The application of paint to walls and ceilings in homes was a manual and labour-intensive process. Painters used brushes with wooden handles made from various types of hair. The paint was applied in multiple coats, with the first coats being mostly colour and the final coats consisting of just varnish.
The practice of painting homes dates back thousands of years, with early humans applying paint to stone surfaces to brighten their living spaces. In the colonial period, portraiture was the most popular type of painting, with artists like Jeremiah Theus and Henry Benbridge creating portraits of the southern elite. The pursuit of refinement and gentility influenced the interior design choices of colonists, with imported goods and decorative arts adorning their homes.
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Paint was also used for carriages
During the 1700s, paint was available in the colonies, with oil and water acting as the base materials. An array of other materials, such as iron, copper, berries, fruits, and lead, were combined with these bases to create different colours and types of paint. In the 1700s, paint was also used for carriages, with horse-drawn vehicles being painted in various colours.
Carriage repainting was a common practice during this period, especially for luxury vehicles. As colours went in and out of fashion, coach owners would refresh the appearance of their carriages through repainting. This was a service offered by carriage makers, as evidenced by a 1772 advertisement from New York's premiere coachmaker, William Deane, which stated, "Said Deane paints and repairs all manner of old work very reasonably."
The Beekman family coach, a carriage from the 18th century that was used in colonial North America, is one of only three such carriages known to survive in its original condition. The five paint layers discovered on the Beekman coach suggest that the family regularly used and maintained the carriage's visual appeal.
Yellow and green were popular colours for carriages in the 18th century. For instance, George Washington commissioned carriages in these colours for himself and his wife, Martha, as indicated in a letter he wrote in 1768. Additionally, a yellow chariot was advertised for sale in the Maryland Gazette in 1749, and a light yellow carriage was delivered to Josiah Parker of Virginia in 1784.
The practice of painting carriages held significance for Americans during the 18th century and beyond. The colours chosen for carriages conveyed wealth and status, reflecting the latest developments in science and technology. Maintaining the appearance of coaches was of utmost importance, as seen through the numerous redesigns and paint jobs commissioned by influential figures.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, paint was available in the colonies during the 1700s.
During colonial America, the base materials of paint were oil and water. This was combined with other materials like iron, copper, berries, fruits, and lead to create various colours and types of paint.
Paint was applied to surfaces using brushes with wooden handles, made from a variety of hairs.
Natural colours like brown, yellow and red ochre were commonly used during the 1700s. However, vibrant chemically produced colours like Prussian blue and chrome yellow also became available in the 18th century.
