Joe Brittain
The Sea

The blue pigment used here is ground lapis lazuli, originally named by ancient, Italian sea traders as Ultra-marino, or “beyond the sea”. Because the material was found in only in a one remote part of Afghanistan, the pigment was rare and thus highly valuable.

Because of this, it was used as the color of divine wrath and spiritual revelation in medieval painting. The history of the color and it’s inherent implication of value, based on its scarcity and the dangers involved in trade cultural exchange are referenced here.