Bloomberg:
The world lacks a great all-around red. Always has. We’ve made do with alternatives that could be toxic or plain gross. The gladiators smeared their faces with mercury-based vermilion. Titian painted with an arsenic-based mineral called realgar. The British army’s red coats were infused with crushed cochineal beetles. For decades, red Lego bricks contained cadmium, a carcinogen.
Yikes!
More than 200 natural and synthetic red pigments exist today, but each has issues with safety, stability, chromaticity, and/or opacity. Red 254, aka Ferrari red, for example, is safe and popular, but it’s also carbon-based, leaving it susceptible to fading in the rain or the heat.
And:
Subramanian, more scientist than chief executive, is now hunting for a similarly safe, inorganic red derivative of YInMn—something that could put Ferrari red, which is worth an estimated $300 million annually, well in its rearview mirror.
Fantastic article. Had no idea this market was so huge.
I remember when they proposed banning Cadmium paints and artists had a fit. I still use Cad reds and yellows but you have to take precautions to use minimal amounts and limit your exposure. But by far it is not the worst chemical paint I’ve used. I have an oil painting on a White Lead ground, my crazy painting professor insisted we learn how to use White Lead even though it is too toxic for anyone to use ever again.