art · FOLLOW YOUR CURIOSITY
A blue pigment once travelled a very long way.
Ultramarine connects a painted surface with a stone, a trade route and a choice about value.
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Blue from a stone
Natural ultramarine was extracted from lapis lazuli, notably mined in Afghanistan. Obtaining the material and preparing the pigment made it expensive. Its name reflects its distant origins: a blue from beyond the sea.
Could a colour in a painting also display wealth?
Reveal the idea
Yes. Expensive pigment could be a meaningful choice.
The National Gallery describes works in which high-quality ultramarine emphasised status. Patrons could specify how much of the precious material a painting should contain.
A material history
A blue robe is more than its hue. Looking at the pigment introduces questions about availability, patronage and the artist’s decisions. These associations depend on the work and its context; one colour does not carry the same meaning in every culture.
AN IDEA TO TAKE WITH YOU
Colour has a material history: the journey and cost of a pigment can shape how artists use it.
Follow a connection
Sources and transparency
National Gallery · Colour Stories: Blue
Accessed 2026-10-24
Prepared with AI assistance. Illustrations are explanatory, not evidence. You can report an issue in the interactive discovery.