lead tin yellow I

Lead–tin yellow Type I (Pb₂SnO₄) is one of the most characteristic warm yellows of European painting, prized for its opacity, stability, and distinctive lemon-gold hue.

The pigment flourished in Europe from the 13th to the 17th century. During the Gothic period, it became a standard material for illuminated manuscripts and panel painting, often used to highlight drapery, halos, and architectural details. Its dense coverage and warm tone made it ideal for modelling light and reinforcing gold leaf.

In the Renaissance, lead–tin yellow Type I became a favourite of Italian masters, including Titian, Veronese, and Raphael. It was frequently used in flesh tones, foliage, textiles, and atmospheric effects. Northern European painters—such as Jan van Eyck, Dürer, and Rembrandt—also relied on it, combining it with blues to create luminous greens and with earth pigments to modulate shadows. Its chemical stability gave it an advantage over more reactive yellows like orpiment.

By the late 17th century, however, lead–tin yellow fell out of use, replaced by the newly available Naples yellow (lead antimonate). Its manufacturing recipe was forgotten, and the pigment disappeared from artists’ palettes for nearly two centuries. Only in the 20th century, through scientific analysis of Old Master paintings, was its identity rediscovered.

Today, lead–tin yellow Type I is once again produced for historical painting techniques and conservation. Identified through XRF, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction, it serves as both a working pigment and a valuable clue for dating and attributing artworks.