Clay earth pigments are naturally occurring minerals, principally iron oxides, that have been used since prehistoric times as pigments. The primary types are
- ochre
- sienna
- umber
Earth pigments are known for their fast drying time in oil painting, relative inexpensiveness, and lightfastness. Cave paintings done in sienna still survive today.
Famous quotes containing the words clay, earth and/or pigment:
“As ye of clay were cast by kind,
So shall ye waste to dust.”
—Thomas Vaux, 2d Baron Vaux Of Harrowden (1510–1566)
“I repeat, sir, that in whatever position you place a woman she is an ornament to society and a treasure to the world. As a sweetheart, she has few equals and no superiors; as a cousin, she is convenient; as a wealthy grandmother with an incurable distemper, she is precious; as a wet-nurse, she has no equal among men. What, sir, would the people of the earth be without woman? They would be scarce, sir, almighty scarce.”
—Mark Twain [Samuel Langhorne Clemens] (1835–1910)
“Separation penetrates the disappearing person like a pigment and steeps him in gentle radiance.”
—Walter Benjamin (1892–1940)