Naples yellow

American  

noun

1. a poisonous pigment used in painting and enameling, consisting chiefly of lead antimoniate and characterized by its fugitive yellow color, rapid drying rate, and strong film-forming properties.

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Naples yellow British  

noun

1. a yellow pigment, used by artists; lead antimonate

2. a similar pigment consisting of a mixture of zinc oxide with yellow colouring matter

3. the colour of either of these pigments

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Etymology

Origin of Naples yellow

1730–40; so called because originally manufactured in Naples, Italy

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Naples yellow

This is procured by mixing massicot, or Naples yellow, with a small quantity of realgar, and a very little Spanish white.

From Young's Demonstrative Translation of Scientific Secrets by Young, Daniel

We have spoken of Naples yellow in the past tense, because the pigment now sold as such is generally, or always, a compound colour, or manufactured with a zinc instead of a lead base.

From Field's Chromatography or Treatise on Colours and Pigments as Used by Artists by Salter, Thomas

Flesh Tints.—Flake white, with a very little vermillion and Naples yellow.

From Young's Demonstrative Translation of Scientific Secrets by Young, Daniel

Compounded with white lead it is soon destroyed, nor can it be mixed with any colours into which lead enters, such as chrome yellow, the old Naples yellow, &c.

From Field's Chromatography or Treatise on Colours and Pigments as Used by Artists by Salter, Thomas

In combination with Indian red and Naples yellow, terre verte forms a series of mild russet greens, of much use in middle distance.

From Field's Chromatography or Treatise on Colours and Pigments as Used by Artists by Salter, Thomas