The Psalter-Hours of Isabelle of France

Differences in palette

Artists' Materials

Despite the overall homogeneity of the palette, a few differences are apparent between the pigments favoured by different artists. Notably, Hand A did not use vermilion, which other artists mixed in some of the ‘rusty’ red draperies and which Hand B also used to paint red highlights on the cheeks of his figures. Hand B used ultramarine for shading white areas, while Hand C shaded them with indigo. Hand D used a mixture of ultramarine, organic red and lead white, shaded with indigo, to obtain a purple-grey colour which sets him apart from his colleagues.