Blue is the second most common color in medieval manuscripts—right after red. But there’s something about blue that feels quieter, deeper, maybe even a little more mysterious.
It’s a color that took time, effort, and a bit of magic to create.
Azurite: Europe’s Go-To Blue
The most common blue in the Middle Ages probably came from azurite, a beautiful copper-rich stone found in many parts of Europe.
It was hard—literally. Artists had to smash it up and grind it slowly by hand with a mortar and pestle until it turned into fine powder. It was patient, dusty work... but worth it for that rich, velvety color.
Chrozophora: A Violet-Tinted Plant Dye
Another type of blue, with a violet hue, came from the seeds of a plant called tumsole—what we now know as Chrozophora tinctoria.
It’s a small, scrappy herb that grows in dry places around the Mediterranean, North Africa, and parts of Asia. Even though it looks like a weed, it produces a delicate blue and purple dye.
The color was stored in cloth—yes, cloth! Artists would dry the dye on fabric like a watercolor pan. When they were ready to paint, they’d cut a piece and re-wet it with water or a binder to pull the color out.
Ultramarine: The Most Precious Blue
Then there’s ultramarine. This was the most precious and prized blue of all—made from lapis lazuli, a semi-precious stone found only in the region of Afghanistan.
It was rare, expensive, and often saved for the most sacred parts of a manuscript—especially the robes of the Virgin Mary. Its name, “ultramarine,” literally means “beyond the sea.”
A Blue-Stained Tooth and a Medieval Artist
One of my favorite facts? Archaeologists recently found the skeleton of a woman buried in Germany who lived sometime between 997 and 1162 CE. Inside the plaque on her teeth, they found tiny flecks of lapis lazuli pigment.
The most likely reason? She was probably a manuscript artist, and like many painters still do today, she licked her brush to make a fine point.
How cool is that?
A Modern Take
Today, I don’t use azurite or lapis lazuli in my work, but I do love making paint using pigment powders and binders. It’s a way of staying connected to the long, thoughtful tradition of artists who made their own materials, with care and intention.
Learning about how these blues were made makes me look at medieval manuscripts differently. There’s so much effort, patience, and beauty tucked into every page.
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