J.M.W.Turner’s Synthetic Palette
An encyclopedia in 1823 claims Turner’s work seems to “tremble on the verge of some new discovery of color.”[1] Turner relied on the new chromes, cobalt, and emerald greens which he applied directly to his canvas. Turner, who enthusiastically adopted novel synthetic colors, turned to British chemist Michael Faraday and color manufacturer George Field for advice on the new pigments.
[1] Quoted in Bright Earth: Art and the Invention of Color. Philip Ball. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2003. pg.161
