Paper short abstract:

The white lead, also known in spanish as "albayalde", is one of the main materials in the artist´s palette for its versatility. This paper explores the pigment in the New Spain painting to understand the relationship between painters and the pigment market and trade in local and global networks.

Paper long abstract:

A painting is a complex system in which diverse materials are involved, among them, those responsible for the colour are the pigments. These are relevant as an object of study of art history insofar as they are part of the material culture in which artistic works are inserted (Baxandall 2000).

The lead white is the pigment of greatest tradition in the artist´s palette, it is known that it has been used since Antiquity because both, Pliny and Vitruvius described its use and production (Roy 1993). Until the nineteenth century was the target par excellence, also appreciated for its capacity as dryer.

The tracking of the types of lead white used and their comparison allow us to better understand how New Spain paintings have been preserved to this day as well as their current chromatic appearance. Different types of lead white have already been detected in the viceroyal works, their variety is due to the plurality of this material in the regional and foreign market thanks to the trade routes between New Spain and the sites of manufacture of first quality lead white like Seville and Antwerp (Bruquetas 2002).

This paper studies the documentary sources on lead white technology. Investigate the development of the manufacturing processes of the pigment production industry and its relationship with mining and drugstores. Analyze the networks of trade of materials for painting to generate a panorama regarding the extensive use of lead white in New Spain painting with different qualities and understand the links between this and its plastic effects.