sepia

Home » Products » Pigments Checkers » Pigments Checker » Pigments Checker – Standard – Pigments’ List » sepia

Sepia

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.

The ink sac of cuttlefish supplies a brown dye called sepia.

Manufacturer / product code: Kremer 12401
Chemical description: 78% melanin, 10% calcium carbonate, 7% magnesium carbonate, 2% alkaline sulfates and chlorides and 0.8% miscellaneous compounds.
Color: brown
Color Index: NBr 9
More info: Kremer PDF
It was used in the 18th century as a brown pigment in ink painting, illustration and calligraphy.

Sepia is a warm brown pigment with a remarkably long and evocative history, closely tied to both natural materials and the evolution of artistic media. Its name comes from the Greek sēpía, meaning “cuttlefish,” referring to the marine mollusk from which the pigment was originally derived. The ink sac of species such as Sepia officinalis provided a dense, durable dye that ancient cultures quickly recognized for its writing and drawing qualities. The pigment was used in Classical antiquity by the Greeks and Romans, who valued its permanence and pleasant tonality for manuscript writing and preparatory sketches.

During the Middle Ages and Renaissance, sepia maintained its role as a dependable ink. Artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, and later the Venetian masters employed sepia washes for rapid studies and controlled tonal drawings. The pigment’s ability to produce a wide range of intensities—from delicate golden-brown glazes to deep, velvety shadows—made it ideal for disegno, the practice of developing compositions through drawing. Its organic nature also lent works a characteristic warmth, often associated with intimacy and subtlety.

Sepia gained renewed popularity in the 18th and 19th centuries, particularly among watercolorists who appreciated its transparency and harmonious blending. It became iconic in early photography as well: the “sepia tone” effect, originally produced by chemical toning, enhanced archival stability while giving images their familiar brownish hue.

XRF spectroscopy

XRF Spectroscopy Pigments-Checker Database (88892 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.