CERULEAN: four

About the name

Cerulean is a range of colours from deep blue, skye-blue, bright blue or azure to deep cyan. The word cerulean comes from the Latin word caerulem, which means 'sky' or 'heavens' or sometimes 'oceans'.

Besides cerulean, ultramarine (cornflower blue) plays a prominent role. This pigment is natural present in the mineral lazurite, found in the valuable lapis lazuli.

From 1100 onwards this pigment, imported from Asia (China, Afghanistan), reaches the ateliers of painters in Europe, the blue of old masters Ducio, Titiaan and Vermeer.

In Italy the colour was known as Azurro Oltramarino. Literally 'the azurite coming from beyond the seas'.

CERULEAN

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