chrome oxide green

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Chrome oxide green

This page presents the Spectroscopic analysis of this pigment.
The pigment has been examined using XRF spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, and Reflectance Spectroscopy. These complementary techniques provide valuable insights into the pigment’s composition and structure.
This page aims to show which analytical methods are most effective for identifying this pigment in artworks and historical materials. By comparing results across different techniques, it serves as a practical reference for Heritage Science, Conservation, and Pigment Analysis.

Chrome oxide green has been identified on a J.M.W. Turner painting which dates back to 1812.

Manufacturer / product code: Kremer / 44200
Chemical description: chromium(III)-oxide. Kremer PDF
Color: green
Color Index: PG17

Chrome Oxide Green is a classic inorganic pigment, chemically chromium(III) oxide (Cr₂O₃) and classified as Pigment Green 17 (PG 17). It has a dense, opaque mid-green hue with slightly yellow undertones, valued for its reliability and versatility in both artistic and industrial contexts.

First developed in the early 19th century and later adopted widely by painters, this pigment is noted for exceptional lightfastness and chemical stability, resisting fading, solvents, and extreme conditions—qualities that have made it a cornerstone of traditional and modern palettes. It can be used across media including oils, acrylics, watercolors, and frescoes, and is also common in ceramics, coatings, automotive finishes, and other material applications.

Because of its high opacity and robust performance, chrome oxide green is often chosen for underpainting and natural subjects like foliage, and remains a durable, workhorse pigment with a long legacy.

Raman Spectroscopy 532 nm – ElviRa Spectrometer for Art

Raman Spectroscopy 532 nm (ElviRa spectrometer) Pigments-Checker Database (74043 downloads )

Raman spectroscopy 785 nm

Pigments (powder, no binder)

Raman Spectroscopy 785 nm Pigments (pure, no binder) (76696 downloads )

Pigments with acrylic binder (Pigments Checker)

Raman Spectroscopy 785 nm Pigments-Checker Database (77615 downloads )

Pure pigments (no binder, just powder)

DOWNLOAD Free Raman Database

DOWNLOAD paper: “Pigments Checker version 3.0, a handy set for conservation scientists: A free online Raman spectra database”

Chrome green 44200 Raman Spectroscopy Pigments Checker

Raman spectroscopy 830 nm

Pigments (powder, no binder)

Raman Spectroscopy 830 nm Pigments-Checker Database (62619 downloads )

Raman spectroscopy 1064 nm

Pigments (powder, no binder)

Raman Spectroscopy 1064 nm Pigments-Checker Database (57709 downloads )

XRF spectroscopy

XRF Spectroscopy Pigments-Checker Database (88908 downloads )

DOWNLOAD previous database from Pigments Checker V.3 DOWNLOAD paper: R. Larsen, N. Coluzzi, A. Cosentino “Free XRF Spectroscopy database of Pigments Checker” Intl Journal of Conservation Science.

Chrome Oxide Green—also known as chromium(III) oxide, chromia, or Pigment Green 17 is a synthetic, opaque green pigment of remarkable durability and versatility.
The pigment’s story begins in the early 19th century, following the discovery of chromium by Louis Nicolas Vauquelin in 1797. By 1809, methods for producing anhydrous chromic oxide were being developed to manufacture green enamel in porcelain factories. Its adoption as an artist’s pigment lagged, but by the 1840s, manufacturers like Pannetier and Binet in Paris offered it as a stable green pigment; J.M.W. Turner’s 1812 paintings have even been found to contain early samples of this pigment.
Chrome Oxide Green stands out for its exceptional lightfastness—rated a top grade of 8 in thinned, medium, and concentrated forms—along with strong chemical and heat resistance.
The pigment is dense, slightly yellow-green in tone, and reliably opaque, making it a go-to choice for artists’ underpainting, foliage, and industrial applications.
Its robustness has led to wide use across domains: from artist oils, acrylics, watercolors, frescoes, and ceramics, to industrial coatings, automotive finishes, banknote inks, and infrared-reflective camouflage paints.
In summary, Chrome Oxide Green is a cornerstone pigment celebrated for its stability, opacity, and versatility steeped in over two centuries of artistic and industrial legacy.

Pigments Checker (TP-MSI calibration card included)

Learn Technical Photography for Art Examination

Technical Photography is one of the most powerful—and often overlooked—tools for the scientific examination of art and archaeology. If you are a conservator, scientist, or art collector and you are not yet familiar with this method, it is truly a missed opportunity. Using simple, affordable equipment and a clear methodology, Technical Photography allows you to reveal underdrawings, retouchings, material differences, and conservation issues in a completely non-invasive way. Far from being complex or inaccessible, it is an easy entry point into scientific analysis. In many cases, Technical Photography represents the first essential step toward a deeper understanding of artworks and archaeological objects.