Colourlex Adds Elemental Indexing System to Pigment Science Research

ColourLex, a resource focused on pigment science, has updated its online classification index with dedicated pages for pigments containing sodium, magnesium, aluminum or silicon. The revision is intended to give art historians, conservators and materials researchers a more direct way to trace pigments by chemical composition. The pages combine pigment names and thumbnails with element-based categories, allowing for faster identification and comparison.

The update organizes a range of pigments with historical and artistic significance according to key elements in their mineral compositions. Sodium, magnesium, aluminum and silicon serve as entry points, helping specialists connect familiar pigment names with broader chemical families. The structure is designed to make composition-based browsing more accessible to researchers across conservation and materials science.

Among the examples listed are Pompeian red, burnt ochre and ochre, which are associated with silicon, aluminum and magnesium. Han blue and Egyptian blue are linked to silicon and copper, while cobalt blue and cobalt glass are associated with cobalt and silicon. Synthetic and natural ultramarine are grouped with aluminum, silicon and sodium.

Each entry is presented with a thumbnail to support quick visual recognition and comparison. The format is intended to give specialists a concise overview before they turn to more detailed technical references.

To support accuracy and authority, the pages integrate reference material from the Royal Society of Chemistry's interactive periodic table. This allows users to move from a pigment record to basic scientific data on elements such as sodium, magnesium, aluminum and silicon.

The reference material includes atomic weight, electron configuration and other chemical properties. Such information can help researchers assess pigment stability and understand the conditions under which historic materials were prepared or may deteriorate.

The classification is aimed at art conservators, cultural heritage specialists, pigment chemistry researchers and scholars interested in the scientific study of artists' materials. For these users, the element-based structure offers a way to evaluate chemical compatibility in a given conservation environment, particularly when selecting or interpreting pigments.