Madder Lake, genuine

The madder root (or madder) is a herbaceous plant of the Rubiaceae, from the roots of which is obtained the coloring principle, now known chemically as alizarin. From it a red-purple varnish is obtained by chemical reaction and precipitation with alum: That obtained from the species Rubia tinctoria is particularly prized. Known since ancient times (and mentioned by Vitruvius, Pliny and Heraclius, among others), it was produced in Greece, Holland and France. In this latter nation, this tradition can be seen in the Drome region and therefore in Avignon, one of the main production centers, where it was produced in 1766 by Althen, a Persian. Although it is photosensitive, like all organic dyes, it is particularly stable. It has found widespread use as a dye, probably as a substitute for purple, while in painterly techniques it is remembered mainly in various traits as a component of color mixtures, mainly in miniature art. However, it was very popular in the 15th and 16th centuries, especially in the Flemish region.