Lemon Yellow

Lemon Yellow is a commonly used term for a cool yellow that can be made from many different pigments. Read on to learn more and shop for colours.

Approach to Venice, Joseph Mallord William Turner, 1844, oil on canvas, 62 x 94cm, 24 7/16 x 37 in, Andrew W. Mellon Collection, National Gallery of ArtApproach to Venice, Joseph Mallord William Turner, 1844, oil on canvas, 62 x 94cm, 24 7/16 x 37 in, Andrew W. Mellon Collection, National Gallery of Art
Approach to Venice, Joseph Mallord William Turner, 1844, oil on canvas, 62 x 94cm, 24 7/16 x 37 in, Andrew W. Mellon Collection, National Gallery of Art
Maharaja Bijay Singh in His Harem, unknown artist, ca. 1770, ink, opaque watercolour, and gold on paper, 34.6 x 27 cm, 13 5/8 x 10 5/8 in, Purchase, Friends of Asian Art Gifts, 2002, The Metropolitan Museum of ArtMaharaja Bijay Singh in His Harem, unknown artist, ca. 1770, ink, opaque watercolour, and gold on paper, 34.6 x 27 cm, 13 5/8 x 10 5/8 in, Purchase, Friends of Asian Art Gifts, 2002, The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Maharaja Bijay Singh in His Harem, unknown artist, ca. 1770, ink, opaque watercolour, and gold on paper, 34.6 x 27 cm, 13 5/8 x 10 5/8 in, Purchase, Friends of Asian Art Gifts, 2002, The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The first Lemon Yellow pigment in European art history was Lead Tin Yellow. It was known as the ‘yellow of the Old Masters’. Lead Tin Yellow was an opaque lead-based yellow colour that was created as a by-product of the glass making industry. It was used by artists of the Renaissance and Baroque periods.

Virgin and Child, unknown artist, ca. 1495–1500, oil on wood, 31.1 x 17.1cm, 12 1/4 x 6 3/4 in, Bequest of Joan Whitney Payson, 1975, The Metropolitan Museum of ArtVirgin and Child, unknown artist, ca. 1495–1500, oil on wood, 31.1 x 17.1cm, 12 1/4 x 6 3/4 in, Bequest of Joan Whitney Payson, 1975, The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Virgin and Child, unknown artist, ca. 1495–1500, oil on wood, 31.1 x 17.1cm, 12 1/4 x 6 3/4in, Bequest of Joan Whitney Payson, 1975, The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Yellow Room, James McNeill Whistler, ca. 1883–84, watercolour and gouache on paperboard, 24.8 × 17.8cm, 9 3/4 × 7 in, Marguerite and Frank A. Cosgrove Jr. Fund, 2017, The Metropolitan Museum of ArtThe Yellow Room, James McNeill Whistler, ca. 1883–84, watercolour and gouache on paperboard, 24.8 × 17.8cm, 9 3/4 × 7 in, Marguerite and Frank A. Cosgrove Jr. Fund, 2017, The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Yellow Room, James McNeill Whistler, ca. 1883–84, watercolour and gouache on paperboard, 24.8 × 17.8cm, 9 3/4 × 7 in, Marguerite and Frank A. Cosgrove Jr. Fund, 2017, The Metropolitan Museum of Art

In the 19th century, the Impressionists used the bright, acidic yellows produced by chromium-based pigments, including Chrome Yellow and Barium Chromate. Lead Tin Yellow and Chrome Yellow have fallen out of use, but there are many modern Lemon Yellow pigments today. These include Hansa, Benzymidazole, and Cadmium pigments. The varieties offer everything from creamy, butter-like shades, to powerful and bright acidic hues. Each one behaves differently in mixes with other colours.

Still Life with a Glass and Oysters, Jan Davidsz de Heem, ca. 1640, oil on wood, 25.1 x 19.1cm, 9 7/8 x 7 1/2 in, Purchase, 1871, The Metropolitan Museum of ArtStill Life with a Glass and Oysters, Jan Davidsz de Heem, ca. 1640, oil on wood, 25.1 x 19.1cm, 9 7/8 x 7 1/2 in, Purchase, 1871, The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Still Life with a Glass and Oysters, Jan Davidsz de Heem, ca. 1640, oil on wood, 25.1 x 19.1cm, 9 7/8 x 7 1/2 in, Purchase, 1871, The Metropolitan Museum of Art

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PIGMENT STORIES

LEMON YELLOW

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Lemon Yellow is a commonly used term for a cool yellow that can be made from a variety of different pigments. Read on to learn more and shop for colours.


The first Lemon Yellow in European art history was Lead Tin Yellow. Known as the ‘yellow of the Old Masters’, it was an opaque, lead-based yellow pigment that was discovered as a by-product of the glass-making industry. It was used extensively by artists of the Renaissance and Baroque periods. In the 19th century, the Impressionists benefitted from the bright, acidic yellows produced by chromium-based pigments, including Chrome Yellow and Barium Chromate. 


While Lead Tin Yellow and Chrome Yellow have fallen out of use, there are numerous pigments that are used to make Lemon Yellow today, including Hansa, Benzimidazole, and Cadmium pigments. The varieties offer everything from creamy, butter-like shades, to powerful and bright acidic hues, with each behaving differently in mixes with other colours.


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