Did you know? Artists once painted with actual Egyptian mummies!

The use of Mummy Brown flourished from the 16th to the early 20th century, coveted for its unique hue and semi-transparent quality. Initially believed to possess medicinal properties, the mummies eventually found their way into artists' palettes, sometimes even sold by apothecaries. Artists like Pre-Raphaelite Edward Burne-Jones reportedly ceased using it upon discovering its true origin. Its unique qualities derived from the resins and bitumen used in mummification, yet the pigment eventually faded and became brittle. Ethical concerns, coupled with its instability, ultimately led to its obsolescence.