A history of Viridian

Hydrated chromium oxide is an intense green pigment with a bluish hue, more commonly known in the English-speaking world as Viridian. Viridian comes from the Latin ‘Viridis’ meaning ‘green, blooming, vigorous’. This may seem at odds with its unnatural appearance but when mixed with yellow, orange, or red it gives life to an impressive range of natural greens. This makes Viridian a versatile staple for many artists to this day.

Viridian emerged, along with many other synthetic pigments such as cobalt blue and cadmium yellow, in the first half of the 19th Century. While Chromium, the key component, was discovered in 1797, the first preparation of Viridian is credited to Frenchman Pannetier and his assistant Binet in around 1838.

Unfortunately, Pannetier’s green was over one hundred times more expensive than other, already pricey, pigments on the market. Twenty years later Guignet patented a cheaper method for manufacture, which greatly increased its popularity. Once Viridian, also known as Guignet’s green, became more affordable it was a popular choice for the Impressionists and Post-Impressionists.

Viridian as a pigment

Viridian was an attractive choice for artists at that time as previously there were limited options for green pigments. Emerald green (copper acetoarsenite), not to be confused with ‘Verte Emeraude’ the French name for Viridian, was one of the most vibrant alternatives. However, its arsenic content made it very dangerous and, in some cases, deadly. Chromium oxide green was much less toxic but its dark and dull colour made it a less appealing choice.

In contrast, Viridian green was both non-toxic due to its insolubility and had an intense colour. Moreover, Viridian has excellent lightfastness and as a transparent pigment it is very suitable for the glazing technique. The high oil absorption of Viridian makes it a fast-drying oil paint. Artists such as Georgia O’Keeffe, who made meticulous studies of the properties of paints, used substances like walnut oil to slow the drying rate of Viridian on her palette.

Recently Viridian has been playing an important role in the authentication of master pieces. Analyses of artworks by Van Gogh, Kandisky, and Klee, have revealed that Viridian produced around the turn of 20th century contains a by-product not found in modern manufacture of the pigment. Examination of Viridian have therefore been added to the battery of tests used to date and authenticate works.

Viridian the brand

In 1991 the BBC brought in the international brand specialists Lambie-Nairn to rejuvenate the look of BBC Two. At the time the channel was considered by audiences to be ‘worthy but dull’. Lambie-Nairn then produced the series of iconic moving logos featuring the number two in a range of materials, from water and paint to silk and grass, all in copyrighted BBC 2 Viridian. Viridian remained the signature colour of BBC Two until 2001.