Revolution in Paint Storage
“Without colors in tubes, there would be no Cezanne, no Monet, no Pissaro, and no impressionism.” —Pierre-Auguste Renoir, artist
Storage, an Old Problem
Since the advent of oil painting in the 15th century, the storage of prepared paint has been an issue for painters. Oil paint becomes unusable in a few days if left out in the open air. Particularly before the 19th century, paint was expensive, something not to be wasted. Early containers could keep the paint fresh for only a few days. As a result the painter had to make his own paint, grinding together oil and pigments each day for that day’s work. This made the studio indispensable, the place where paint was made and used as quickly as possible. Artists continued to make their own paint right up into the 18th and 19th centuries until the advent of adequate storage technology, which made store-bought paint possible.
Paint bladder
19th century
Harvard University Art Museums, Straus Center for Conservation. Gift of C. Roberson and Co., London
Exhibited in Revolution in Paint
In the early 19th century the pig’s bladder was the best available container. It extended the shelf life of paint only a few weeks at best, but it was enough to make the commercial sale of paint possible. The bladder was instrumental for the new profession of artist’s colorman, who made, packaged, and sold small quantities of paint to artists. But bladders were famously messy. Opened by piercing with an ivory tack, bladders could not be effectively resealed. The remaining contents leaked out or spoiled in a short time. Even unopened they often burst unexpectedly. Any handling had to be kept at a minimum. Even though painters could now buy their paint ready-made, they were still tied to their studios to use it.
“May I remind M. Etienne [an artist colorman] that he promised to put aside for me the bladders of Prussian brown that he recently made. But I would like only one bladder at a time in order to avoid it spurting out.” —Eugène Delacroix, artist, 1854
The Tube
Paint tube
Lefranc & Cie brand cadmium yellow oil paint
Late 19th century
Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, Va.; Gift of Edith Ballinger Price
Exhibited in Revolution in Paint
The collapsible metal tube, patented in 1841, was a dramatic improvement in paint storage. It was invented by South Carolina painter John G. Rand. Rand’s tube kept paint fresh almost indefinitely and could be opened and resealed numerous times with very little waste. Painters—now freed from making their own paint, as well as dealing with paint’s old storage problems—were no longer tied to their studios. For the first time in history it became practical to produce a finished painting outside the studio. In particular this freed impressionists from the academic painter’s dependence on controlled studio lighting. They were free to capture the misty light of early morning in the gardens of Giverny or a sunset reflecting off the water at Étretat on the Norman coast.
Painting would never be the same.
“My studio! But I never have had one, and personally I don’t understand why anybody would want to shut themselves up in some room. Maybe for drawing, sure; but not for painting.” —Claude Monet, 1880
