Ultramarine

Ultramarine, a brilliant blue color, in very extensive use by painters, paper stainers, calico printers, and others. The substance previous to the year 1828 was obtained only from lazulite or lapis lazuli, a beautiful and costly mineral substance. The mineral being rare, and much prized for ornamental inlaying, and the color being of unapproachable brilliance and depth, it was an extremely expensive pigment. In consequence, strenuous efforts were made to obtain an equally valuable product by artificial means. In 1824 the French Societe d' Encouragement pour l' Industrie Nationale offered a premium of 6,000 francs for the manufacture of an ultramarine blue, possessing all the qualities of that extracted from lapis lazuli, and in 1828 the prize was awarded to M. Guimet of Lyons, who after four years' investigation succeeded perfectly in producing the valuable substance by a synthetical process.

Ul`tra*ma*rine" (?), a. [Pref. ultra- + marine.]

Situated or being beyond the sea.

Burke.

© Webster 1913.

Ul`tra*ma*rine", n. [Cf. Sp. ultramarino. So called because the lapis lazuli was originally brought from beyond the sea, -- from Asia.] Chem.

A blue pigment formerly obtained by powdering lapis lazuli, but now produced in large quantities by fusing together silica, alumina, soda, and sulphur, thus forming a glass, colored blue by the sodium polysulphides made in the fusion. Also used adjectively.

Green ultramarine, a green pigment obtained as a first product in the manufacture of ultramarine, into which it is changed by subsequent treatment. -- Ultramarine ash ∨ ashes Paint., a pigment which is the residuum of lapis lazuli after the ultramarine has been extracted. It was used by the old masters as a middle or neutral tint for flesh, skies, and draperies, being of a purer and tenderer gray that produced by the mixture of more positive colors. Fairholt.

© Webster 1913.