Leo Martínez
Paint has been used for thousands of years, with the earliest appearance of paint dating back to around 30,000 years ago when cave dwellers used crude paints made from coloured rocks, earth, bone, and minerals to create graphic representations on the walls of their caves. In the 1800s, paint was still largely made from natural materials, with most house paint using either oil or water as a base. Linseed oil was commonly used in house paint, providing a protective varnish for surfaces, while water-based paints were primarily used on ceilings and walls. During this time, paint was typically mixed on-site and in small batches, with pigments sourced from organic materials such as iron oxides to create colours like yellow ochre and burnt sienna. The development of synthetic paints also began in the 1800s, with the discovery of Prussian blue in the early 1700s and the invention of French ultramarine in 1826, leading to a wider range of colours available for artists and decorators.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Base | Oil or water |
| Pigments | Ochre, sienna, Prussian blue, chrome yellow, ultramarine, Egyptian blue, lead, etc. |
| Binder | Linseed oil, hide glue, water |
| Process | Mixed on-site, ground using muller and slab |
| Application | Distemper paint needed to be applied to a wet edge |
| Manufacture | Paint mills were powered by steam |
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What You'll Learn
Paint was mixed on-site and in small batches
In the 18th and early 19th centuries, paint was typically mixed on-site and in small batches. Paint could not simply be bought in a tube or a store; it had to be made by hand. The process of making paint was a tricky one, and the paint itself had a short shelf life, so it was made as needed.
The two primary categories of paint were oil and distemper. Linseed oil was used as a binder in oil paints, while distemper paints used hide glue and water. The common factor between the two types was the presence of coloured pigment. These pigments were generally derived from organic sources, such as the iron oxides of ochre and sienna, which produced colours like yellow ochre and burnt sienna. Other pigments were made from natural materials such as minerals, sand, lime, copper ore, and even ground-up insects.
The pigments were ground using a muller and slab – a large, handheld stone similar to a mortar and pestle. The paint was then prepared on-site and applied to the walls. This process could be challenging, as was the case with distemper paint, which had to be applied quickly as it was water-soluble.
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Oil and distemper were the two primary categories
In the 1800s, paint was largely categorised into two types: oil and distemper. Before the advent of pre-mixed paints in the 1870s, interior house paint was typically mixed on-site and in small batches. These paints had a short shelf life and were made as required. The key difference between oil and distemper paints was the binder used to suspend the pigment.
Oil paints used linseed oil as a binder, which also acted as a protective varnish for surfaces. Linseed oil was particularly useful in protecting wooden surfaces from rotting. In the 1800s, it was common to use oil-based paints for the decoration of joinery.
Distemper paints, on the other hand, used hide glue and water as the binder. Distemper paint had to be applied carefully as it is water-soluble. It was necessary to maintain a wet edge when applying this type of paint, as painting over dry distemper would cause it to wash off.
The pigments for both types of paint were generally derived from organic sources, such as iron oxides of ochre and sienna, resulting in colours like yellow ochre and burnt sienna. These pigments were ground using a muller and slab, a large handheld stone similar to a mortar and pestle. The use of hand-ground pigment resulted in a textured, dimensional finish, clearly showing the human touch.
The 1800s also saw the development of synthetic paints, with chemically produced colours like Prussian blue and chrome yellow gaining widespread popularity. These synthetic pigments provided artists with new possibilities and cheaper alternatives. By the end of the century, almost any colour could be purchased at a relatively low price.
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Linseed oil was used as a binder in oil paints
Before the 1870s, paints were generally mixed on-site and in small batches. They were categorised into two primary categories: oil and distemper. Oil paints used linseed oil as a binder, while distemper paints used hide glue and water. The binder was used to suspend the pigment in the paint.
Linseed oil, also known as flax oil, is made from the dried seeds of the flax plant. It has been used in painting since at least the 12th century, as described by Theophilus Presbyter. Linseed oil was originally used as a binder, with artists adding pigment to create their own paint. However, it was later discovered that linseed oil was not necessary as a binder and could be added to the paint at the artist's discretion.
Linseed oil can be used to thin the consistency of paint and slow the drying time. It can also make the paint appear glossier. However, too much linseed oil can affect the colour of the paint, giving it a warmer appearance and tinting the pigments.
In the 1800s, artists still had to develop their own paints, which was no small task. It was only in the 1870s that pre-mixed paints became available, and industrially manufactured paints began to be produced for spraying cars or decorating households and businesses. These paints were also used by modern artists who were attracted by their fast-drying rate compared to traditional oils.
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Pigments were ground using a muller and slab
In the 1800s, paint was made from pigments, which were ground using a muller and slab. This process had been used since ancient Egyptian times, and it remained the primary method of paint preparation until the advent of pre-mixed paints in the 1870s. The muller is a large, handheld stone that was used to grind the pigment against a slab, similar to how a mortar and pestle function. The final consistency of the paint depended on its base ingredients, but it typically needed to be smooth and buttery, capable of standing up in peaks like commercially produced tube paints.
The pigments used in paint during the 1800s could be derived from organic or synthetic sources. Organic pigments were often obtained from the earth, with iron oxides of ochre and sienna yielding colours like yellow ochre and burnt sienna. These organic pigments were ground by hand, resulting in a finish that was not as homogeneous as the commercially sold paints of today. The human handiwork was evident in the dimensionality and uneven finish of the paint.
Synthetic pigments were also available in the 1800s due to advancements in chemistry. For example, Prussian blue was accidentally discovered in the early 1700s, and a synthetic version of ultramarine, called French ultramarine, was invented in 1826. These synthetic pigments offered new possibilities and cheaper alternatives for artists.
The process of grinding pigments with a muller and slab was not limited to the creation of paint but was also used in medieval times to prepare cinnabar, an important pigment for art on various supports such as canvas, textile, or wood. This was confirmed by the discovery and analysis of a stone muller in Lacapelle Livron, France, which showed traces of cinnabar pigment on its working surface.
While the muller and slab were essential tools for paint preparation in the 1800s, the introduction of the mechanical paint mill in the mid-19th century made this traditional method obsolete. However, the muller and slab continued to be used when only small quantities of pigment needed to be ground.
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Prussian blue was accidentally created in the early 1700s
In the 18th and early 19th centuries, interior house paint was generally mixed on-site and in small batches. These paints were made as they were needed and had short shelf lives. The primary categories of paint were oil and distemper. Oil paints used linseed oil as a binder, while distemper paints used hide glue and water. The pigments for these paints generally came from organic sources like iron oxides, yielding colours like yellow ochre and burnt sienna.
During this time, chemically produced colours like Prussian blue were also available. Prussian blue was accidentally created in the early 1700s by a chemist or pigment maker in Berlin named Diesbach, who was trying to make red lake pigment from cochineal, potash, and iron sulfate. However, Diesbach's potash was contaminated with dried cattle blood, resulting in the creation of a deep blue pigment instead of the desired red.
Prussian blue, also known as Berlin blue, was the first modern synthetic pigment and the first artificial blue pigment since Egyptian blue. It rapidly gained popularity and was used in paintings, fabric dyes, and blueprints. It was also important as it replaced the expensive lapis lazuli-derived ultramarine pigment. By the early 1800s, Prussian blue was being used in fashion, particularly in the clothing of the upper classes.
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Frequently asked questions
In the 1800s, most house paint used either oil or water as a base. Water-based paints were used on ceilings and walls, while oil-based paints were used to decorate joinery and protect wooden surfaces from rotting.
In the 1800s, pigments were generally derived from organic sources such as iron oxides of ochre and sienna to create colours like yellow ochre and burnt sienna. In the 18th century, chemically produced colours like Prussian blue and chrome yellow also became available.
Before the advent of pre-mixed paints in the 1870s, interior house paint was generally mixed on-site and in small batches. The main difference between oil and distemper paints was the binder used to suspend the pigment. For oils, the binder was linseed oil, while distemper used hide glue and water. The pigments were ground using a muller and slab.
In the 1800s, a synthetic version of ultramarine called French ultramarine was invented by French chemist Jean-Baptiste Guimet. Prussian blue, which was discovered in the early 1700s, became popular in the mid-to-late 1800s after Japanese prints made with the colour found their way back to Europe.
