Cochineal

Eric Zafran | The Burlington Magazine | 13th October 2015

Its pretty easy to take red for granted but artists have found it to be a difficult colour. Only with Spain’s entry to Central and South America did a light-fast, brilliant crimson red dye become abundant in Europe. The cochineal insect was the source of this excitement – it became Spain’s most significant import after silver. Velazquez and Titian were early converts; the Impressionists were users, centuries later.