LAPIS LAZULI
From mineral lazurite, a complex sodium calcium aluminum silicate sulfate, the ancient world obtained its finest blue. Known as lapis lazuli, Persian lazuli or ultramarine (it means from the sea beyond) the precious powder followed a long path from Afganistan mines ( where the authentic stone has always been extracted) in order to dress byzantine Christs and Renaissance Madonnas. At those times, ultramarine was more expensive than gold. Still from Badakshan, Afganistan, of high purity according to the Cennini method of mixing it with wax, today we supply the real lazuli pigment in small doses of 10 grams -upon request only.
