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Prussian Blue
#003153 · click to copy
Cool
HEX
#003153
RGB
0, 49, 83
CMYK
100%, 41%, 0%, 67%
Pigment
PB27
Lightfastness
Good (II) — lightfast in oils; can fade in dilute watercolour in strong light
Moods & Keywords
blue
dark
deep
melancholy
cold
dramatic
ocean
Hokusai
historical
dark
synthetic
cool
blue
Hokusai
historical
dark
synthetic
cool
blue
Pigment & Material
PB27
Synthetic
Iron(III) hexacyanoferrate Fe₄[Fe(CN)₆]₃. The accident occurred when Diesbach used potash contaminated with ox blood.
Origin & History
The accidental discovery of Prussian blue in 1704 was transformative — it was the first affordable, permanent blue available to artists and quickly spread across Europe. Within decades it reached Japan, where it became the defining pigment of the Edo period woodblock print tradition. Hokusai's Great Wave — among the most reproduced images in human history — owes its distinctive deep blue entirely to imported Prussian blue.
Also Known As
Berlin Blue
Paris Blue
Turnbull's Blue
Milori Blue
Antwerp Blue
Psychology
Deep, precise, and slightly melancholic. Prussian blue is the darkest of the accessible blues — it approaches black, giving it a gravity that lighter blues lack. Associated with depth, seriousness, and the cold precision of Prussian military efficiency (from which it takes its name). In painting, it creates shadows with extraordinary depth.
In Culture
The cyanotype photographic process (invented 1842 by John Herschel, popularised by Anna Atkins) uses Prussian blue chemistry — the ghostly blue-white botanical prints of the Victorian era are made from the same pigment as Hokusai's waves. Prussian blue is also used medically — it is an approved treatment for certain types of radioactive and heavy metal poisoning, as it binds and removes caesium and thallium from the body.
Natural Sources
No natural source — the first synthetic pigment produced accidentally. Discovered in Berlin around 1704 by paint maker Johann Jacob Diesbach while trying to make a red pigment. The iron compound he was using was contaminated with potash that had been used to process blood — the resulting blue was a complete surprise.
Making It Yourself
Prussian blue can be made with careful chemistry:
1. Dissolve iron(III) chloride (FeCl₃) in water
2. Separately dissolve potassium ferrocyanide (K₄[Fe(CN)₆]) in water
3. Mix solutions — Prussian blue precipitates immediately
4. Filter, wash, dry
5. Mix with linseed oil
Note: potassium ferrocyanide is available as a photographic chemical. The product is non-toxic despite containing cyanide (the cyanide is chemically locked).
1. Dissolve iron(III) chloride (FeCl₃) in water
2. Separately dissolve potassium ferrocyanide (K₄[Fe(CN)₆]) in water
3. Mix solutions — Prussian blue precipitates immediately
4. Filter, wash, dry
5. Mix with linseed oil
Note: potassium ferrocyanide is available as a photographic chemical. The product is non-toxic despite containing cyanide (the cyanide is chemically locked).
Art Movements
Impressionism
Post-Impressionism
Japanese Ukiyo-e (via import)
Cyanotype Photography
Famous Works
Hokusai
The Great Wave off Kanagawa, 1831 (Prussian blue essential)
Monet
numerous landscapes
Van Gogh
Starry Night (Prussian blue in night sky)
Anna Atkins
cyanotype botanical prints, 1843
Available As
Winsor & Newton — Prussian Blue (PB27)
Daniel Smith — Prussian Blue (PB27)
Golden — Prussian Blue
M. Graham — Prussian Blue
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Colour data compiled with AI. Spot an error or have more to add? Leave a Note — ekphra reviews and updates.
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