Sylvia Rose
White Lead Toxic Beauty, Art, Ancient Production
White lead, lead(II) carbonate or PbCO₃, has a long history in art, paint and industry. It's a primary source of white for artists and in...
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Sylvia Rose
Oct 154 min read
Gum Arabic (Acacia Gum) Art, Food & Medicine
Gum arabic, also known as acacia gum, is a natural substance derived from sap of Acacia trees, especially Acacia senegal . This sticky,...
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Sylvia Rose
Oct 155 min read
Gum Arabic, Guar, Xanthan: Guide for Artists & Artisans
Thickening gums such as gum arabic, guar and xanthan gums are indispensable for creation of inks and pigment by individual or industrial...
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Sylvia Rose
Oct 155 min read
Elemental Carbon (C) Facts & Secrets
Carbon is the ubiquitous element. Art, beauty, science and health pivot around the life force of carbon. Carbon is a complex element...
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Sylvia Rose
Oct 146 min read
Soot & Lampblack: Beauty, Art and Medicine
Soot is as old as fire. A dark, powder formed by incomplete burning of organic matter, it's used for centuries due to its easy...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 274 min read
Venice Italy: Jewel of the Renaissance
Venice during the Renaissance emerges as a vibrant center of art, culture and commerce, influencing the broader European scope. The...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 273 min read
Alchemy & Renaissance Glass: Antonio Neri
Antonio Neri is a Renaissance Florentine priest, well known for contributions to alchemy and glassmaking. As a youth Neri is drawn to the...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 225 min read
Christine de Pizan: Medieval Writings
Christine de Pizan or Pisan (Cristina da Pizzano) c.1364 - 1430 is an Italian-born French court writer during the reign of King Charles...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 164 min read
Cosimo de' Medici & the Italian Renaissance
Cosimo di Giovanni de' Medici, also known as Cosimo the Elder, is a leading figure in the rise of Florence as the Italian Renaissance...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 54 min read
Rudolf II Renaissance Prague: Alchemy, Eros & Occult
The Kunstkammer or Art Chamber of Rudolf II is a delight. A patron of arts, science, literature and occult the Holy Roman Emperor...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 37 min read
Glass & Arts of Ancient Glass Making
Glass production prospers in Alexandria c. 1st century AD. Early glass makers produce colored beads and later utensils. With clear glass,...
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Sylvia Rose
Jul 265 min read
Michael Maier: Rosicrucians, Art & Alchemy
Michael Maier (1568–1622) is a German physician, alchemist, epigramist and composer. A prolific writer and shrewd thinker, he influences...
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Sylvia Rose
Jul 145 min read
Alchemy: Red King & White Queen
In alchemy the Red King and White Queen are vibrant with meaning. Their union or sacred wedding, hieros gamos, reflects alchemical...
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Sylvia Rose
May 237 min read
Dniester River Neolithic Civilization
The Cucuteni-Trypillia culture is a Neolithic and Copper Age archaeological group (c. 5500 - 2750 BCE) of SE Europe. From the Carpathians...
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Sylvia Rose
Mar 157 min read
Verdigris: Coveted Blue Green Copper Pigment
Verdigris is the green rust or patina on copper, created as the metal reacts with oxygen in the environment. Copper corrodes green to...
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Sylvia Rose
Mar 135 min read
Orpiment - Painter's Golden Poison
Orpiment is a golden orange or yellow arsenic sulfide mineral. Found in volcanic fumaroles, low-temperature hydrothermal veins, and hot...
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Sylvia Rose
Mar 126 min read
Terrazzo Floors & Neolithic Masons
Terrazzo is among the earliest building techniques of humans, dating to 9500 BCE. Terrazzo is an aggregate of crushed stone with a binder...
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Sylvia Rose
Mar 115 min read
Black Pigments of Ancient Artisans
Black is among the first pigments in the palette of early humans. By Paleolithic times, black defines lines, shadows and meaning. Black...
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Sylvia Rose
Mar 85 min read
Kaolinite: White Pigment with Benefits
Kaolinite, a white clay mineral, is among the first pigments. It's created by the weathering of minerals found in stone. Present in...
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Sylvia Rose
Mar 66 min read
Red Ocher (Ochre) Ancient Pigments
Red ocher is among the first colors appearing on the palette of early humans, along with white and red. Black, white and red are also...
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