Green pigments and mixtures
Artists' Materials
Green hues were obtained in a variety of ways: copper sulphates, copper carbonates as well as mixtures of azurite with lead-tin yellow and an organic yellow were identified. The individual artists seemed to favour one or more of these greens, which helps define their ‘signature’ palette.
Areas painted with copper sulphates were often found to contain high amounts of silicon. This may be due to the presence of quartz and other silicates, which would be naturally mixed with mineral copper sulphates.
St Michael defeating demons (suffrage to St Michael)
This miniature is the eponymous work of the Master of St Michael. The sway and twist of the Archangel’s figure and the spread of his wings convey the overwhelming power of the heavenly warrior. The finely articulated detail and the hard, clean, metallic shimmer of the armour, obtained by mixing indigo with azurite, contrast starkly with the amorphous mass of the demons at St Michael’s feet. The ominous sky above and the cross-staff tilted at an oblique angle create a sense of depth, enhanced by the objects in the architectural border. The vase and timepiece suggest a domestic interior, while a sword and shield lean against a niche, accompanied by a cross-staff and rosaries, all within easy reach should the viewer need them in his own spiritual battles.
The Master of St Michael is the only one amongst the four main artists who painted flesh tones using mainly lead white, with little or no chalk. His palette makes extensive use of indigo in addition to azurite, which he also mixed with lead-tin yellow to paint grass. He used a red dye for the wings of both St Michael and the demon, as well as vermilion, lead-tin yellow, an arsenic sulphide and a range of earth pigments including umber.