This helps in establishing the fact that cobalt could have been a precious or semi-precious metal (In the form of blue objects) historically known for its pigment and hue. Being found in opposite sides of the world means that there could have been trading of cobalt in the early ages. The same metal has been found in Egyptian tombs, even in King Tutankhamen’s tomb. In 2014, blue glass beads were found in a Danish grave, which was 3,400 years old. Adding blue objects to your everyday day life brings a sense of serenity to you.Ĭobalt has been used in ancient Chinese pottery and many other civilizations without people knowing that it was a different material altogether. Even in 21st Century cobalt blue is used extensively in home decors and architecture for its vibrancy. This is also the reason cobalt blue is sometimes called Parrish Blue too. Blue objects come to life due to the pleasant and vibrant hue that cobalt imparts.Īnother famous painter Maxfield Parrish uses the color to paint the intensity of his skyscapes. This is due to its superior contrast and brilliancy. In his “List of Colors’ (1818) he says when used in place of ultramarine, cobalt blue brighter and much more consistent. Prominent watercolorist John Varley has time and again said that cobalt blue is a great substitute for ultramarine, especially for painting skies. These blue objects were very desirable to own at these times. In 1807 a Norwegian company by the name of ‘Blaafarvevaerket’ became the leading manufacturer under the leadership of Benjamin Wegner. France was one of the first countries to commercially produce the metal. Cobalt blue as reference was first noted in 1777, and was later also discovered as an alumina-based pigment by a Frenchman named Louis Jacques Thenard. When it comes to Chinese porcelain cobalt blue has had a significant impact on the culture’s pottery and vessels. In fact, most of these blue objects in the past have had cobalt blue somewhere or the other. There has been evidence of glass being tinted with smalt, which is a silica-based cobalt pigment. Cobalt blue is extremely stable and throughout history has been used as a coloring agent in jewellery, pottery and paint. It is brighter and less intense in saturation as compared to Prussian blue, which is derived from iron-cyanide. When speaking chemically, Cobalt Blue is CoAl2o4. How It Is MadeĬobalt blue can be obtained by sintering cobalt oxide with aluminium oxide at 1200 C. This is especially useful in the cases of brain cancer where surgery is not possible in all cases. Cobalt-60, a man-made isotope of cobalt, is often used in cancer treatment as it can target and kill tumors. It is similar to iron in its magnetic properties and is therefore used to make some very powerful magnets. In its purest form, cobalt is brittle and looks like a mixture of silver and blue in color. But a fair bit of precaution is needed while dealing with cobalt blue because if ingested or inhaled, it can be toxic to humans. Many noted painters have lauded the use of the pigment in their paintings sheerly for the brilliance that it imparts to them. The blue color imparted is rich in contrast to other blue pigments and has been noted for its consistency over larger bodies of work. It is found in magnets and cancer medications too, and recently has been implemented in nanoparticles as well. Blue Cobalt is a transition metal that has been used to impart a blue hue to things when used as a pigment.
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