Rose Madder Lake

Rose Madder Lake Pigment
Discover the soft, luminous pink-red tones of this genuine rose madder lake pigment. Produced in small batches to a 19th-century English recipe, it is made using traditional methods that reflect the historic preparation of madder lakes used by artists for centuries.

About Madder Dye
Madder dyes can be derived from several species of the Rubia genus, each yielding slightly different colour characteristics. This pigment is made from European madder, Rubia tinctorum, a plant historically cultivated across Europe, the Middle East, and parts of Asia for its rich red dyes.

The principal colourants found within madder root are anthraquinone compounds, most notably alizarin and purpurin, which contribute to the characteristic warm reds, pinks, and rose tones associated with madder pigments.

Once extracted from the root, these soluble dyes can be converted into an insoluble lake pigment by precipitating them onto a mineral substrate. Variations in the extraction process, mordants, pH, and preparation methods can produce a remarkable range of shades, from warm brick-red and crimson through to delicate rose pink.

History of Madder Use
Madder has an exceptionally long history as both a textile dye and artists’ pigment. Evidence of its use stretches back to antiquity, and madder-based colours remained important throughout the medieval and Renaissance periods.

By the 18th and 19th centuries, carefully prepared madder lakes became particularly valued by European painters for their transparent, glowing colour and subtle pink-red tones. Rose madder was especially prized for glazing and for creating luminous passages of transparent colour.

Historical Reproductions
This rose madder lake is made according to a variant of a 19th-century recipe associated with the English colour chemist George Field, whose experiments and formulations contributed significantly to the development and documentation of artists’ pigments during the period.

Its transparent, soft rose colour is characteristic of historical madder lakes and makes it particularly well suited to historically informed painting, reconstruction, and the study of traditional artists’ materials.

Permanence of Madder Lake Pigments
Lake pigments are derived from organic dyes and are therefore not fully lightfast. Madder lakes can gradually fade when exposed to prolonged direct sunlight, strong ultraviolet light, or unsuitable environmental conditions.

For better longevity, apply the pigment in several layers, avoid prolonged exposure to direct sunlight, and where appropriate display finished works behind ultraviolet-filtering museum glass.

Product Details
5 ml glass vial sealed with carbon black wax.
Dimensions: 7.5 cm × 0.9 cm
Each vial comes in a small branded London Pigment box.

Delivery Details
This product is usually dispatched within 4 days and sent via Tracked Royal Mail services. The longer dispatch time reflects Lucy working concurrently on commissions and teaching alongside her pigment production. If you need your item quickly, please get in touch with her.

Please email Lucy at info@londonpigment.com if you have any further questions!