Van Dyck brown (pigment)
Hierarchy classification:
Alternative term/s
- bituminous earth
- Cassel brown
- Cassel earth
- Cassler umbra
- Castle earth
- Colens earth
- Collens earth
- Cologne earth
- Cullens earth
- earth of cullen
- humic earth
- humic-earth pigment
- Kassel earth
- Kasslerbraun
- moreno de Van Dyck
- terra di Colonia
- Van Dyke brown
- Vandyke brown
Anotations
Scope note:
A naturally occurring dark brown earth pigment containing organic humus, peat, or coal material mixed with iron oxides, alumina and silica. When ignited, the pigment leaves a soft gray residue. The colorant is fugitive and fades on exposure to strong light. The pigment was first used in the 17th century; early sources were from the Cologne and Kassel regions of Germany, thus the alternate pigment names. The brown earth has since been obtained from various localities each of which may differ slightly in color and composition. To add to this confusion some pigments labeled "Van Dyck brown" were bituminous while others were synthetically made from from carbon black and iron oxide mixtures. For these synthetic mixtures, use "synthetic Van Dyck brown."