How The Renaissance Got Its Amazing Colors
A story of dedicated specialists, a trading empire, and wealthy patrons that funded it all
It’s something we rarely think of, likely because we’re spoiled as children.
Crayons are handed out to us at restaurants when we’re young to keep us busy. But we don’t understand the power of this color. It’s so common, unsurprisingly, we take it for granted.
I still remember getting my sixty-four pack of Crayola Crayons when I was eight. It was the gold standard of the time. In fact, I think “gold” was a color.
The box was situated with names and shades never heard of. While “Sky Blue” was interesting, who cared about “Burnt Siena.” Although the color palette was impressive, it never completely blew me away. They were just simple crayons.
Shamelessly, I even threw colors away. But shades of every type imaginable weren’t always common. In times past, color was a business; you might even say a rarity. It demanded respect, commanded incredible prices, and required a trading empire to gather.
Keep this in mind as you think of the great Renaissance painters in history. It wasn’t just about the artist. The magic also revolved around the colors they used, and how they were gathered. So, let’s start…
