Phthalocyanine Green 1941

Curator: This is an item from the Harvard Art Museums, “Phthalocyanine Green,” a pigment manufactured by Krebs Pigment Corp. Editor: The color is strikingly saturated. The paint application above the label shows an almost velvety gradient, deep blues bleeding into intense greens. Curator: Phthalocyanine Green revolutionized color availability for artists. Its synthetic creation in the early 20th century democratized color, liberating artists from rare and expensive natural pigments. Editor: Note the pigment's intensity, even when mixed with linseed oil. The chromatic scale reveals its capacity to evoke a range of emotions, from tranquility to foreboding. Curator: Mass production also raises questions about authenticity and artistic value—how do we define art when the core material is industrial? Editor: Perhaps the act of selection, of recognizing the potential within this vibrant medium, elevates the object itself. It's the artist's eye that matters. Curator: A potent reminder of how industry reshaped artistic expression in the modern era. Editor: A remarkable study in the power of pigment and its inherent aesthetic qualities.