Literary notes about cadmium red (AI summary)
Literary references to cadmium red predominantly emphasize its role as a distinctive, vivid pigment in the artist’s palette. Several texts note its definitive hue—often described as a deep, unmistakable orange-red—that captures immediate attention, whether in the depiction of drapery, skies, or as a standalone color choice [1]. Its introduction marked a turning point, replacing older, less reliable options and setting a new standard among permanent reds alongside other famous pigments such as madder reds and Mars red [2], [3]. Moreover, its technical designation in pigment charts—sometimes simply noted with a number or as “deep cadmium” [4], [5]—reinforces its established status and unique aesthetic contribution in artistic literature.
- P.S. —Of course I only use cadmium red when I want a very deep orange in drapery or sky—nothing could replace it.
— from The Life, Letters and Work of Frederic Leighton. Volume II by Barrington, Russell, Mrs. - Before the introduction of cadmium red, this and the following pigment were the best and only unexceptionable orange-reds known.
— from Field's Chromatographyor Treatise on Colours and Pigments as Used by Artists by George Field - Among permanent reds, rank cadmium red, madder reds, Mars red, the ochres, and vermilions.
— from Field's Chromatographyor Treatise on Colours and Pigments as Used by Artists by George Field - Cadmium Red, 130 .
— from Field's Chromatographyor Treatise on Colours and Pigments as Used by Artists by George Field - Cadmium Red. Cadmium, deep.
— from Field's Chromatographyor Treatise on Colours and Pigments as Used by Artists by George Field
