The Surprising History of the Color Green

How have artists made green throughout history?

In this episode of Becoming Artsy, Jessie traces the color green across nearly 2,000 years of art. Follow along as she visits the Getty Museum and the Getty Villa to explore pigments including verdigris, malachite, green earth, and copper resinate, and discover how artists used them in medieval manuscripts and Renaissance paintings. Jessie also speaks with manuscripts curator Larisa Grollemond and paintings conservator Ulrich Birkmaier, who explain how the pigments have changed, and how green has connected to nature, art, chemistry, and conservation over time.

In the video below, watch her adventure. And check out this Getty article if you want to see more green history in art!