van dyke brown

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Van Dyke brown

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.

A transparent brown natural earth containing usually over 90% of organic matter used in paintings since 17th century and extensively in the 19th century.

Manufacturer / product code: Kremer / 41000
Chemical description: humic acids, manganese oxide and iron oxide KREMER PDF
Color: brown
Color Index: NBr8
More info: Pigments Through The Ages

Van Dyke Brown, also known as Cassel earth or Cologne earth, is a deep, warm brown pigment traditionally derived from natural organic materials such as decayed plant matter, lignite, or peat-rich earths. Its name is often linked—though not definitively—to the Flemish painter Anthony van Dyck, whose richly toned portraits exemplify the subtle, earthy browns associated with the pigment. However, the pigment itself predates the Baroque period and has been used since at least the 16th century, particularly in Northern Europe.

In its earliest forms, Van Dyke Brown was extracted from soil deposits containing abundant humic acids, yielding a transparent, cool brown ideal for glazing. Renaissance and Baroque painters valued it for its versatility: it could create delicate shadows, atmospheric backgrounds, and nuanced flesh tones when applied in layers. Its transparency made it especially suitable for glazes and underpainting, contributing to the depth and softness characteristic of many Old Master works.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, Van Dyke Brown became widely used across Europe as the pigment became more readily available through trade. It appeared frequently in landscape painting—favored by artists such as the English watercolourists—where its natural, earthy tone served to model tree trunks, soil, and shadowed areas with subtlety. However, the pigment’s poor lightfastness and tendency to fade or shift color over time eventually raised concerns, especially in the conservation field.

By the late 19th century, the traditional organic version was often replaced by more stable synthetic mixtures based on iron oxides and carbon blacks, which reproduced its characteristic tone while improving durability. Today, “Van Dyke Brown” remains a staple in artists’ palettes, valued for its warm depth, glazing ability, and its long cultural association with classical European painting traditions.

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”

Van Dyke brown 41000 Raman Spectroscopy Pigments Checker

XRF spectroscopy

XRF Spectroscopy Pigments-Checker Database (88895 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.