Pigments—the palette of organic colourants in wall paintings

Abstract The present contribution deals with the use of organic colourants in wall paintings, polychrome pottery and painted stone artworks, i.e. artworks on inorganic supports. term is referred to chemical nature these compounds but not way application; therefore, can be dyes, lakes or pigments. paintings has been given little attention past, perhaps assumption that they were rarely used by ancient artists. Recent diagnostic studies, however, brought evidence their was fragmentary; contrary, there seems continuity centuries, at least regard most widely such as madder, Tyrian purple indigo. Sources, alteration phenomena, identification methods analytical for main concern red, yellow, green, blue hues. Drawbacks issues are discussed techniques.