PBk9 CI#77267
70% of Bone Black in a tube
Toxicity: Non-toxic
Lightfastness: 8/8
Drying time: slow
Color/ Tone: Warm, slightly brownish-black
Transparency: Semi-transparent, good for glazing
Bone Black (PBk9) is a traditional black pigment made by charring animal bones in an oxygen-deprived environment, resulting in a fine, carbon-based powder. It has been used since prehistoric times and remains valued for its deep, warm black hue and excellent lightfastness.
History:
Early humans used bone char (from burnt bones) in cave paintings and decorative arts. Egyptians used bone black in cosmetics and pottery, while Greeks and Romans employed it in frescoes and encaustic painting. During the 18th–19th centuries, bone black became commercially important as a pigment and as a decolorizing agent in sugar refining. Nowadays, it is replaced by synthetic blacks like Mars Black or Ivory Black (PBk8).
Famous Works:
- J.M.W. Turner (1775–1851): The Fighting Temeraire" (1839)
- Francisco Goya (1746–1828): The Third of May
