Stil de Grain, Yellow Lake, Dutch Pink

Natural Yellow 14, C.I. 75440

Common names: Brown lake, yellow lake, persian lake, buckthorn lake, dutch pink, yellow carmine, italian pink.

Stil de Grain is a plant-based pigment, derived from unripe buckthorn berries. The plant berries are steeped in a lye (potash), then precipitated with alum to create a translucent yellow “lake” pigment. Different hues can be reached by the addition of tin, copper or iron salts.  The temperature also has an effect on the resulting color: a lemon yellow lake is obtained up to 50°C, and a darker, orange-colored lake is obtained at 100°C.

In the past Stil de Grain was an often used paint. They were used as glue-bound distemper and lime paint for wall painting, as well as for the preparation of hangings and colored paper. Various mixed hues (i.e. olive green and brown lakes) were prepared by mixing with chrome oxide green, blue, black or tar-colored which were also valued in the paper manufacture.