The Material History of the Color Blue

Blue pigment occurs naturally in exactly one form: lapis lazuli. That uniqueness made the color a luxury commodity for thousands of years. Traded at a cost greater than gold, reserved for royalty, and written into artists contracts, blue is both visually and materially rich. Marc Walton, senior scientist at the Center for Scientific Studies in the Arts, is an expert on blues history. Join him as he uncovers the colors journey through art history, from Cleopatras eye shadow to Picassos blue period. The