Alchemical Symbology and Technique in Oil Painting

Materials
Both the actual chemical composition and the color of the paint used can have alchemical meaning. The following are some colors which are of particular significance in alchemy: Lead White Lead represents unregenerated, base matter, or even the Prima Materia from which one begins the alchemical process of the Great Work. Interestingly, in 17th century Holland, lead white was produced by exposing strips of lead to vapour from vinegar in a closed, but not completely sealed, container, and rich in carbon dioxide generated by rotting cow manure or tanbark. The pigment forms as pure white corrosion crust on the lead and is collected by scraping it from the strips. The result is a basic lead carbonate, 2PbCO3Pb(OH)2, which contains a proportion of neutral lead carbonate, PbCO3. The Philosopher's Stone is said to derive from excrement or other vile, base substances, and involves a heating process. Vermillion - this color [sulphide of mercury (HgS) is a highly opaque, bright scarlet color produced by direct combination of mercury and sulfur in heated retorts followed by sublimation. Both mercury and sulfur are two of the main chemicals in alchemical processing. In fact, the are opposites which must be combined, and frequently are symbolized as male and female, for instance. Vermillion, the result of combining these two opposites, is then symbolically the alchemical wedding itself.