Description
Matisse Studio Lemon Yellow is a striking and adaptable greenish-yellow colour that instantly enlivens any palette. The origins of the colour (although not this chemical version) and its use can be traced back to the late 18th Century, when renowned French pharmacist Louis Vauquelin discovered the element chromium—ushering in a new era in pigment chemistry. Three yellow colours were developed from Vauquelin’s finding—Barium, Zinc and Strontium—all initially sold under the name Lemon Yellow. Like all chromium colours, these semi-transparent pigments displayed a noticeably acidic green bias and, while lightfast, were reported to turn green over time. Nevertheless, they were embraced as a welcome alternative to more costly colours like Platina yellow, and readily used by Impressionist era artists such as Claude Monet and Édouard Manet.
Contemporary formulations/iterations of lemon yellow have resolved these earlier issues of discolouration, delivering a fresh and thoroughly lightfast pigment with good tinting strength. Its high transparency makes it ideal for glazing, where it enhances compositions with an ethereal glow, while its potent tinting strength ensures that even the smallest amount can transform a colour mixture. When blended with warm tones such as Cadmium Red, it yields rich, sun-drenched oranges, while pairing it with blues like Phthalo or Cerulean produces dazzling, naturalistic greens. With Titanium White, it forms a spectrum of soft, buttery pastels. Whether used in bold strokes or subtle layers, Lemon Yellow provides an exquisite balance between intensity and versatility, making it an invaluable choice for artists working across genres.
