Introduction: Art and Trade in the Age of Global Encounters, 1492–1800

Abstract

This special issue focuses on the new materials that became available as a result of global trade. These new commodities brought great changes to the early modern world, particularly to the arts and crafts. Knowledge about the acquisition of, and trade in, such materials increasingly alters our view of history. Before 1856, natural colorants were the only sources of colors for dyeing and painting; humans were always searching for them. The plants, minerals, and insects of the New World created pigments for painting, colorants for cosmetics, dyes for textiles, and even treatments for medical conditions.