Indian yellow, also called euxanthin or euxanthine, is a xanthonoid. It is transparent yellow pigment used in oil paint. Chemically it is a magnesium euxanthate, the magnesium salt of euxanthic acid. It is a clear, deep and luminescent yellow pigment. Its color is deeper than gamboge but less pure than cadmium yellow.
Indian yellow is a glycoside, a conjugate of the aglycone euxanthone with glucuronic acid, making the chromophore euxanthone much more water-soluble.
Indian yellow was used by artist painters in both oil paintings and watercolors. Due to its fluorescence, it is especially vivid and bright in sunlight. It was likely first used by Dutch artists, and before the end of the 18th century it was commonly used by artists across Europe. Its origin was unknown until an investigation in the year 1883; however, in 2004, Victoria Finlay called this into question.
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