Vermilion

Vermilion is a reddish orange pigment, used since antiquity, originally derived from the powdered mineral cinnabar. Chemically the pigment is mercuric sulfide, HgS. Like all mercury compounds it is toxic.

Related Topics:
Reddish - Orange - Pigment - Cinnabar - Mercuric sulfide - Toxic

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Today vermilion is most commonly produced artificially by reacting mercury with molten sulphur, in which case it may also be known as vermilion substitute. Most naturally produced vermilion comes from cinnabar mined in China, giving rise to its alternative name of China red.

Related Topics:
Mercury - Sulphur - China

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As pure sources of cinnabar are rare, natural vermilion has always been extremely expensive. In the middle ages, vermilion was often as expensive as gilding. Today a 225ml tube of genuine Chinese Vermilion oil paint can cost £200 (US $300) http://www.michaelharding.co.uk/price.htm.

Related Topics:
Middle ages - Gilding - Ml - Oil paint

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In painting, vermilion has largely been replaced by the pigment cadmium red, partly because it is cheaper, but also because the colour is more consistent.

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Vermilion is also the name of the typical color of the pigment, which is a bright red tinged with orange. It is somewhat similar to the color scarlet.

Related Topics:
Orange - Scarlet

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