Pigments through the Ages

Abstract

Pigments have been used since ancient times to make coloured drawings and visually adorn glass and ceramics. The article gives an extensive review of the history of minerals as basic materials for the application as pigments. Already in praehistoric times coloured minerals were used in animal paintings in caves. With the end of the 17th and the beginning of the 18th century the so-called alchemists researched on the preparation of synthetic pigments for several uses. Pigments for colouring glasses, particular for Bohemian glasses conclude the overview.