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The story of ultramarine
Discover the incredible journey of ultramarine blue, from a rare mountain stone more precious than gold to the synthetic pigment that revolutionized modern art.
5 chapters94 assets
by andy · Jul 30, 2026
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Chapter 1
The stone from the sky
1The remote mines of Badakhshan
2What makes the stone blue
3The ancient trade routes
4Not all blue is equal
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Chapter 2
Sacred blues of the ancient world
1The royal stone of Egypt
2Mesopotamian temples and jewelry
3The Indus Valley connection
4The challenge of painting
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Chapter 3
The birth of ultramarine
1Beyond the sea
2The secret recipe of Cennini
3More expensive than gold
4The unfinished masterworks
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Chapter 4
The great chemistry race
1The government bounty
2The discovery of French Ultramarine
3The German controversy
4Democratizing the canvas
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Chapter 5
Out of the blue
1The quest for the perfect blue
2The patent of International Klein Blue
3The psychology of a color
4Ultramarine in daily life
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