London: Thomas Marsh for John Shute, 1563

John Shute’s influential study of architecture contains five fold-out illustrations, four in intaglio (engravings) and one in relief (woodcut). The woodcut is printed in common black printing ink, like the text, but the engravings are in monochromatic grey, pale grey-brown or blue-green ink. Ink consists of small particles of a colourant (the pigment) suspended in a vehicle (the liquid), sometimes with additives (e.g., drying agents). Scientific analysis remains to be done, but the fading of the pigment into a certain range of colours may suggest that this pigment is indigo. The vehicle, an oil varnish, has yellowed, giving this engraving of the Tuscan order a distinctively greenish appearance; this is particularly evident on the verso. If the four engravings were printed with indigo ink, they would originally have been a vibrant blue. The same may hold true for the impressions of the engravings in other copies of this first edition described as ‘grey’. This series comprises by far the earliest known engravings printed in England in any colour other than black.

I would like to thank Ad Stijnman for information regarding the characteristic changes over time of indigo ink used for intaglio printing.

Syn.3.56.1, plate 1