What is "naples yellow"

Naples yellow \Na"ples yel"low\ See under Yellow.

Yellow \Yel"low\, n.

1. A bright golden color, reflecting more light than any other except white; the color of that part of the spectrum which is between the orange and green. ``A long motley coat guarded with yellow.''
   --Shak.

2. A yellow pigment.

   Cadmium yellow, Chrome yellow, Indigo yellow, King's yellow, etc. See under Cadmium, Chrome, etc.

   Naples yellow, a yellow amorphous pigment, used in oil, porcelain, and enamel painting, consisting of a basic lead metantimonate, obtained by fusing together tartar emetic lead nitrate, and common salt.

   Patent yellow (Old Chem.), a yellow pigment consisting essentially of a lead oxychloride; -- called also Turner's yellow.

Naples yellow, also called antimony yellow, can range from a somewhat muted, or earthy, reddish yellow pigment to a bright light yellow, and is the chemical compound lead(II) antimonate. Its chemical composition is Pb(SbO)/Pb(SbO). It is also known as jaune d'antimoine. It is one of the oldest synthetic pigments, dating from around 1620. The related mineral pigment, bindheimite, dates from the 16th century BC. However, this natural version was rarely, if ever, used as a pigment.

Naples yellow was used extensively by the Old Masters and well into the 20th century. It largely replaced lead-tin-yellow during the eighteenth century. The genuine pigment is toxic, and its use today is becoming increasingly rare. Most paints labeled "Naples yellow" are instead made with a mix of modern, less toxic pigments. The colors of these paints vary considerably from one manufacturer to another.

The first recorded use of Naples yellow as a color name in English was in 1738.

The source of this color is: Color Sample of Naples Yellow (color sample #83), ISCC-NBS Dictionary of Color Names (1955)