vermilion artificial

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Vermilion (artificial)

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.

High quality synthetic vermilion.

Manufacturer / product code: Kremer 42000
Chemical description: mercury sulfide, synthetic
Color: red
Color Index: PR 106
More info: Kremer PDF

Artificial vermilion is a bright red pigment based on mercury sulfide (HgS), developed as a synthetic alternative to the rare natural mineral cinnabar. Its manufacture is already documented in antiquity, with early recipes described in Roman and later medieval technical sources, where mercury and sulfur were combined through controlled heating and grinding. Compared to natural cinnabar, artificial vermilion offered greater availability, more uniform color, and lower cost, which contributed to its widespread adoption in painting and manuscript illumination from the Middle Ages onward. The pigment is characterized by a strong, opaque red with high covering power, making it ideal for details, drapery, and symbolic elements. However, vermilion is also known for its chemical instability: under certain environmental conditions, particularly light exposure and the presence of chlorides, it may darken or alter in tone.

Raman Spectroscopy 532 nm – ElviRa Spectrometer for Art

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Raman spectroscopy 632 nm

Raman spectroscopy 785 nm

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Raman spectroscopy 830 nm

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XRF spectroscopy

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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.