Human beings have been colouring things for as long as we’ve had hands, boredom, or a strong desire to say “I was here.” From handprints on Paleolithic cave walls to the industrial wizardry of 19th-century coal-tar chemistry, our species has been relentlessly invested in turning minerals, plants, insects, metals, and even cow urine into something that could make a surface look a little less beige.
Simply using the word, toxic does not seem sufficient attention is being paid to the fact that lead and mercury are very dangerous poisons. The potential role of these poisons on the mental state of many artists is worthy of mention.
With regard to the brown cow in the annunciation paintings, what makes you think they would put a sterile animal next to the baby Jesus? This is a brown cow, bred in the Mideast specifically because they produce more beta carotene, and thus more promise for good clear vision. Of course they did not know about beta carotene, but people knew when a certain food had certain beneficial effect. , moreover, to my mind, it seems very clear that the presence of a brown cow also is paying homage to the many bovine deities.
Simply using the word, toxic does not seem sufficient attention is being paid to the fact that lead and mercury are very dangerous poisons. The potential role of these poisons on the mental state of many artists is worthy of mention.
¡Excelente material! Realmente, en el arte, el color nunca es “simplemente” un color... también es una forma silenciosa de dejar huella...
With regard to the brown cow in the annunciation paintings, what makes you think they would put a sterile animal next to the baby Jesus? This is a brown cow, bred in the Mideast specifically because they produce more beta carotene, and thus more promise for good clear vision. Of course they did not know about beta carotene, but people knew when a certain food had certain beneficial effect. , moreover, to my mind, it seems very clear that the presence of a brown cow also is paying homage to the many bovine deities.