Storied Colors

Storied Colors documents named pigments through their histories, chemistry and provenance.

About Storied Colors

Storied Colors is a web-based reference resource that documents named pigments, covering their provenance, chemistry, and historical context. The site focuses on sourced, unedited accounts of each pigment's origins and use.

It hosts an ongoing, expanding index of pigments, with new entries published weekly and existing entries updated as conservation laboratories release new research. Each entry includes information about the pigment's sourcing, historical use, and any relevant events such as bans or reformulations.

Key features

Weekly publication of new pigment index entries
Ongoing updates to existing entries per conservation lab findings
Each pigment entry includes provenance, chemistry, and historical context
Curator's notes covering contested attributions and new research
Optional ad-free newsletter for index and research updates

Best for: Artists, art conservators, and color history enthusiasts seeking sourced, documented information on named pigments.

Good for

All pigment entries include documented provenance with no invented sourcing
Existing entries are updated as conservation laboratories publish new corrections
Index includes both historical and contemporary pigments with cited sources

Watch out for

The full pigment index is still expanding and not yet complete
Print catalogue issues have not yet shipped, with only a notification sign-up available
All content is currently only available in English