Minerals such as hematite and cinnabar provided natural sources of the red inorganic pigments red ochre and vermillion while plant and insect extracts including madder and cochineal provided dyes that on complexation with aluminum and/or calcium cations provided the red pigments rose madder lake and carmine lake. Early inorganic synthetic methods yielded red lead and vermillion while later inorganic syntheses provided reds including cadmium red that was patented in 1919. Some highlights of the synthesis of organic pigments include alizarin first synthesized in 1869, quinacridone red, perylene maroon and the chance discovery of red diketopyrrolopyrroles in 1974.

Seeing red: A brief history of red pigments through the ages

2019 Spring National Meeting

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