orpiment

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Orpiment

Widely used in the classical ages, it had little known use in Northern Europe where lead tin yellow was one of the dominant yellows.

Manufacturer / product code: Kremer / 10700
Chemical description: arsenic sulfide, natural mineral. Kremer PDF
Color: yellow
Color Index: PY39
More info: Pigments Through The Ages Colourlex

Orpiment, a natural arsenic sulfide mineral (As₂S₃), is one of the most striking yellow pigments in the history of art. Its name derives from the Latin auripigmentum—“gold pigment”—reflecting its intense, golden-yellow hue. Used since antiquity, orpiment was mined in regions such as Persia, Anatolia, and the Roman world. It appears in Egyptian tomb paintings, Greco-Roman frescoes, and Asian artworks, where its brilliance made it an exceptional alternative to gold leaf when true gold was unavailable or too costly.

In the medieval period, orpiment played a prominent role in manuscript illumination. Despite its toxicity and incompatibility with certain pigments—especially lead-based ones—it was highly valued for its unmatched chromatic strength. It was often used alongside realgar, its orange-red arsenic sulfide counterpart, to achieve warm transitions and vivid decorative effects. In the Islamic world, orpiment was especially esteemed, frequently used in Persian and Mughal miniatures for clothing, architectural details, and backgrounds.

During the Renaissance, artists such as Cennino Cennini described orpiment as both “beautiful” and “treacherous,” warning of its dangers yet acknowledging its unique luminosity. Its use persisted through the early modern era, particularly in tempera and watercolor, though painters working in oil found it challenging due to stability issues and pigment incompatibilities.

The pigment’s decline began in the 18th and 19th centuries with the introduction of safer, more stable artificial yellows—most notably chrome yellow and cadmium yellow. By the 20th century, orpiment had largely vanished from artists’ materials.

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