Ultramarine

Deep blue pigment

Ultramarine is a deep blue pigment historically derived from lazurite, the principal component of the metamorphic rock lapis lazuli. The pigment was produced by grinding the stone and undergoing a complex washing process to isolate the blue mineral, which made it exceptionally valuable. The name ultramarine comes from the Latin ultramarinus, meaning “beyond the sea,” referring to its import into Europe by Italian traders from mines in Afghanistan during the 14th and 15th centuries.

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