The Traditional Colour Range

Some Colours of the 18th and 19th Centuries

Introduction

As a result of the interest shown in the 1988 release of our range of Historical Colours, we decided to produce a range of paint colours showing a selection of those in use during the 18th and early 19th centuries.  This appeared in the shape of our Traditional Colour range, and was the first of a series of ranges that have since come onto the market in the UK.

Whereas the first range of colours was taken from a number of the colours used in the applied arts (for example porcelain and tapestry), in this second range the colours were based on some of those in use by the house painter between 150 and 300 years ago.

The colours were selected from three sources:

The majority were colour matched to the earliest known set of sample cards which were originally prepared by a house painter for a client in 1807.  Other colours are based on the research of two of the leading practitioners in the field, while the remainder are colour matches of early paint recipes found in contemporary documents - the recipes being made up using near-original ingredients, and then matched with modern materials.
 

Aim

An attempt has been made to reproduce versions of a number of the colours that are referred to most frequently in texts of the 18th and early 19th centuries, whilst also showing a variety of other colours that were available for house-painting purposes.
 

The Colours

The colours in this range should not be assumed to be either definitive, or representing an absolute standard. Instead, they should each be compared to a rung in a ladder of tints, all equally likely to have been used. Thus, for example, "Lead Colour" might have been used in a pale tint, as shown, or in a darker shade, similar to SC218. Indeed, there exists a named paint sample dated 1817 which shows this to be the case.

Back to Top

Colour Names

The naming of colours is subjective, and very often liable to mislead more than assist. Where colours have been named in this range it is for the following reasons:

a) they are either colours matched to early named colour samples;

b) they are based on named recipes that produce a colour similar to that shown;

c) they are named for their similarity to colours that appear in a work containing named colour chips that was first published in the mid 1840's.

The colours named after pigments, e.g. "Terra de Sienna dark", and "Spruce Oker" were not necessarily originally formulated using those particular pigments. The name often indicated the character of the colour rather than the ingredients. Equally, the names "Mineral Green" and "Dutch Pink" were given to a variety of different pigments. Incidentally, before the early 18th century Pink tended to be used in relation to some yellow pigments.

To emphasise the need for caution with colour names, the colour SC297 "Ash Colour" would generally have been called "Lead Colour" from the early 19th century onwards. SC226 "Green verditer" would have been produced in distemper using the pigment green verditer; however, in oil it would most likely have been mixed using verdigris.

"Stone colour", in particular, encompasses a very wide variation of hue, ranging from warm colours similar to Bath Stone to the cooler, greyer tints more representative of Portland Stone.

As will be understood, the spelling of colour names, especially in the earlier years, varied widely; "Ochre", "Oker" and "Oaker" all being seen. "Terra de Sienna" also appeared in many forms. The spellings used here are those used to label the original samples that have been copied.

It is unlikely that even the colours on the early colour cards that we have matched would have been used exactly as they appeared in sample form. A 17th century account records the following:

"Leaves to be brought to the architect whereof to make his choice as to the colour. The colours for rooms ought not to be taken at random but to be chosen according to the much or little light, or space of the places etc."

The inference perhaps is that although the surface in question was to be painted in a particular sort of colour, stone colour, for example, the exact shade would have been decided on site.  After all, it is only there, where the colour can be seen in the light conditions peculiar to the location, that one can see how a colour will look.

The Common Colours

The pigments used for tinting paint came from many different sources, and some were considerably more expensive than others. The cheaper pigments, those mainly derived from coloured earths, tended to be more frequently used. The paint colours that these pigments produced were known as Common Colours.  As well as being cheap, they also had the advantage of being rather more stable and resistant to fading, a problem encountered with many of the more expensive pigments.

The following were generally referred to as Common Colours: white, stone colour (in its various forms), pearl colour, lead colour, cream colour, wainscot or oak colour, and chocolate colour. Examples of all of these will be found, together with the slightly more expensive drab and olive colours, and the even costlier lemon.


Back to Top

Oil- and Water-based Finishes

The finishes used by the early house painter were basically oil- or water-based, with woodwork being generally painted in oil, while water based coatings were more usually applied to plaster surfaces.

"Paint", until recently, invariably meant an "oil based" medium, which until the early years of this century was prepared with white lead, pigment, linseed oil, and turpentine. The finish, or degree of sheen, being regulated by altering the ratio of the oil and turpentine.

Until the middle of the 18th century a glossy finish was considered desirable on panelled walls and woodwork. However, by the early 1740's, a fashion for a matt finish developed, which, even by 1819, was still "...to be preferred for all superior work". This was achieved by a process known as "flatting", which, apart from involving an extra operation that added to the cost of the job, was not suitable for areas of heavy wear, nor for exterior surfaces.
 

Distemper

A less expensive matt finish that was widely used on plaster walls and ceilings was known as "distemper" or "size colour". This was made with whiting, or ground chalk, bound with a glue size made from animal bones, horns or skin, and tinted with a suitable pigment.

Distemper had the great advantage of cheapness, the wide range of tints achievable in it, the ease with which it could be made and applied, and the speed of its application. Being loosely bound, it could be washed off for renewal, but it was not particularly durable, and was neither washable nor suitable for areas of heavy traffic, hence the modern name of "Soft distemper" (do not confuse with the oil- and casein-bound varieties).

The idea of all colours being equally available in oil and water based finishes is a relatively new one. Certain pigments tended to be more suitable in one rather than the other medium. Blue verditer, for example, was generally reserved for use in distemper, being liable to darken and go green in oil.
 

Differences Between Old and New Finishes

It must be said, that although the examples here are well researched attempts to convey the colour of early house paints, the pigments and the media used are quite different from the original. The only similarity between Soft Distemper and Matt Emulsion / Latex (which might be considered its modern equivalent) is that they are both water-based flat finishes. The former has a certain vitality and texture that cannot be reproduced by its successor.

However, that must be balanced by the relative ease of application of the modern day finishes; the ability to ensure that each batch is the same as the last; the almost infinite range of colours; the lack of price difference between colours; the durability; and the ease with which they can be over-painted.

Ironically, it is these "improved" qualities which remove the two distinct advantages of Distemper, the aesthetic appeal of its texture, already mentioned, and its high degree of porosity. This latter characteristic is of little practical relevance in houses built since the mid-nineteenth century, when damp proof courses became widespread. However, in earlier buildings, especially, in ground floor rooms, the ability to allow the free movement of water vapour is essential to prevent dampness.
 

Back to Top

Appearance of Early Paints

With respect to the modern gloss and eggshell oil paints, and their earlier counterparts, again there are differences, principally of texture, though perhaps these are less immediately obvious.

Traditional oil paint dried to a glossy finish that tended to dull down after a short time. The linseed oil content caused it to yellow, especially in areas deprived of light.  This was most obvious in white paint, but colours would change too, blues taking on a greenish tinge.

Pigments ground by hand also affected the appearance of oil paint, their non-uniform particle size caused an unevenness of colour, and influenced the way that light was reflected, causing the surface to look more lively than the modern, highly refined product.

It is appreciated that colour is only one aspect if an approximation to "authenticity" is required. For individuals attempting the full-scale redecoration of historic interiors, these colours can be used as a guide from which to mix more traditional finishes. However, it is important, if that is the intention, to make a study of the materials available to the house painter during this period, together with the techniques practised, before a basic understanding can be gained. It must also be appreciated that our concepts of colour and taste in decoration are separated from theirs by two hundred years.

Many of the colours in our selection would have been available in white lead oil paint, it is not suggested, however, that the mixing of this be attempted. Indeed, European Union legislation has restricted the use of this material to a very few specialist applications. On the other hand, there is no reason, if it is considered appropriate, why soft distemper should not be mixed up to match these samples. A situation where this is particularly relevant, is in the painting of fine plaster work, where a modern emulsion is not recommended.
 

©Patrick Baty - 1991
 

Colour Cards

Papers and Paints have been in the forefront of the trend for historical paint colours. In 1988, we released our Historical Colours which were based on colours used in the decorative arts during the last millennium. This was shortly followed by our Traditional Colours, which were colour matched to the earliest known set of surviving paint samples - originally painted out by a house painter for a client in 1807. More recently, a set of randomly chosen Off Whites have been produced. Hand-painted colour cards are available of each of these ranges:

Further Reading

There are very few works that deal with the subject of paint and the use of colour in 18th and early 19th century interiors in a thorough manner. However, in recent years, interest has increased and shortly one can expect to see more appearing. The following books might prove of use to anyone keen on reading further. As will be seen, the majority are fairly obscure, nonetheless they might be regarded as some of the most important sources. The works of Dr Ian Bristow ARIBA, a notable authority on the subject, are particularly revealing.

Bibliography

Baty, Patrick.

• "Palette of Historic Paints." Country Life, 20 Feb. 1992: 56-57.
• "Palette of the Past." Country Life, 3 Sep. 1992: 44-47.

Bentley, Thos.."Prospectus of the Various Paints for the Preservation of all Work Exposed to the Weather and the Interior of Houses, Manufactured Exclusively by Thos. Bentley." London: Thomas Wood. 1817.

Bristow, Ian C.

• "Cost Constraints on Historical Colour." The Architect (March 1977) pp. 40 & 55.
• "Ready Mixed Paint in the Eighteenth Century." Architectural Review, No. 963 (April, 1977), pp. 246-8.
• "Repainting Eighteenth century Interiors." ASCHB Transactions 1981 (vol. vi, 1982), pp. 25-33.
• "The Role of Taste." Traditional Interior Decoration, vol. 1, No. 1 (Spring, 1986), pp. 76-85.
• Architectural Colour in British Interiors: 1615-1840. London: Yale University Press. 1996.
• Interior House-Painting Colours and Technology: 1615-1840. London: Yale University Press. 1996.

Cruickshank, Dan, and Neil Burton.

• Life in the Georgian City. London: Viking. 1990.

Georgian Group.

• Guide no 4, "Paint Colour." 2nd edn. London: Georgian Group. 1991.

Hay, David R.

• A Nomenclature of Colours Applicable to the Arts and Natural Sciences, to Manufactures, and other Purposes of General Utility. 2nd edn. Edinburgh & London: William Blackwood & Sons. 1846.
• The Laws of Harmonious Colouring Adapted to Interior Decorations, with Observations on the Practice of House Painting. 6th edn. Edinburgh and London: William Blackwood & Sons. 1847.

Pincot, John.

• Pincot's Treatise on the Practical Part of Coach & House Painting. London: J.Bailey. ca.1811.

Reynolds, Hezekiah.

• Directions for House and Ship Painting. New Haven: Eli Hudson. 1812.

Smith, John.

• The Art of Painting in Oil. 9th edn. London: J.Bew. 1788. (This appeared in many editions between 1676 and 1825.)

Tingry, Pierre Francois

• Painter's and Colourman's Complete Guide. London: Sherwood, Gilbert, and Piper. 1830.

Vanherman, T.H.

• Every Man his own House-Painter and Colourman. London: I.F. Setchel. 1829.

Back to Top