Umber
Natural organic pigment known since antiquityComposition and Properties of Umber
Umber is a general designation for a sedimentary mineral substance containing between 5 to 20% manganese oxides and hydroxides and a larger percentage of iron oxides. The higher content of manganese oxides compared to ochres is responsible for the brownish colour.
Iron oxides can withstand high temperatures but are not resistant to acids. The pigment is stable although there were reports on changing colour over time during the Renaissance period. It is compatible with all other pigments and is often used to darken other pigments in shadows.
Pigment
Painted swatch
Video: 'Raw & Burnt Umber' by In Liquid Color
Names
Alternative names
Raw umber
Cappagh brown
Color Index
PBr 7, CI 77492
Word origin
From Middle French ombre (in terre d’ombre), or Italian ombra (in terra di ombra), both from Latin umbra “shade, shadow”
From Online Etymology Dictionary
Umbra
German
Terre d’ombre
French
Terra d’ombra
Italian
Tierra de sombra
Spanish
Preparation
Umber can be found in nature with the largest deposits in Cyprus.
References
(1) Cornell, R. M., & Schwertmann, U. The Iron Oxides: Structure, Properties, Reactions, Occurrences and Uses. Wiley 2006.
(2) Helwig, K. Iron Oxide Pigments, in Berrie, B.H. Editor, Artists’ Pigments, A Handbook of Their History and Characteristics, Volume 4, pp. 38-109.
Bottled pigment
Image courtesy of Technisches Museum Wien
History of Use
The pigment had been used in antiquity and was used in European oil painting by Vermeer and also later in the 18th-century.
Examples of use
Johannes Vermeer, Christ in the House of Martha and Mary, 1654-56
7 Light brown background: lead white and umber (smalt)
8 Dark brown background: umber (smalt and lead white)
References
(1) David Hradil, Tomas Grygar, Janka Hradilova, Petr Bezdicka, Clay and iron oxide pigments in the history of painting, Applied Clay Science 22 (2003) 223–236
Identification
Fiber optics reflectance spectra (FORS)
Spectra by A. Cosentino, Cultural Heritage Science Open Source (CHSOS)
IR Spectrum
(1) Kate Helwig, The characterisation of iron earth pigments using infrared spectroscopy, irug.org Postprints p. 83-92.
X-Ray Fluorescence Spektrum (XRF)
XRF Spectrum in the Free XRF Spectroscopy Database of Pigments Checker, CHSOS website.
References
(1) Froment, F., Tournié, A., & Colomban, P. . Raman identification of natural red to yellow pigments: ochre and iron-containing ores. Journal of Raman Spectroscopy, 39(5), (2008) 560–568. doi:10.1002/jrs.1858
Microphotograph
image © Volker Emrath
Further Reading
References
(1) Helwig, K. Iron Oxide Pigments, in Artists’ Pigments, Berrie, B.H., Ed., National Gallery of Art Washington, 2007, pp 38 – 109.
(2) Cornell, R. M., & Schwertmann, U. The Iron Oxides: Structure, Properties, Reactions, Occurrences and Uses. Wiley 2006.
(3) Earth pigments tour website. It contains a colour map of many earth pigments.
(4) Hradila, David; Grygara, Tomáš; Hradilová, Janka; Bezdička, Petr. Clay and iron oxide pigments in the history of painting. Applied Clay Science 22, 2003, p. 230.
(5) S. Muntwyler, J. Lipscher, HP. Schneider, Das Farbenbuch, 2nd. Ed., 2023, alataverlag Elsau, pp. 32-35.
