The Spookiest Shade in the Studio!

Welcome to Spooky Season at The Art Store! To kick things off, we're diving into the eerie origins of one of art history’s most unsettling pigments: Mummy Brown. And yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like!

A Brush with Death: The True Story of Mummy Brown

Back in the 16th through 19th centuries, European artists painted with a pigment called Mummy Brown (also known as Caput Mortuum, or “Dead Head”). The pigment was literally made from ground-up Egyptian mummies - both human and feline!

Imported from the tombs of Egypt during the height of the Victorian Mummy Craze, these ancient remains were crushed into powder and mixed with oil to create a rich, smoky brown color that many painters adored. It was earthy, warm, and - somehow unbeknownst to them - absolutely macabre.

But it wasn’t just artists getting in on the grim goods. Victorian high society was obsessed with all things Egyptian. Mummies were unwrapped at parties, and bits of mummy were used in everything from “medicinal” powders to elixirs people actually drank, believing the ancient remains had healing powers. Spoiler Alert: They didn’t.

The Pigment That 'Died' Out

By the early 20th century, people began to realize that PERHAPS desecrating ancient tombs wasn’t a great look - or ethical, for that matter. Supplies of real mummies also (thankfully) started to dwindle. As a result, genuine Mummy Brown faded from artists’ palettes.

Today, the tradition lives on - minus the mummies. Modern versions like Mummy Bauxite, Mummy Violet, and Caput Mortuum Red are made from safe, synthetic, or natural mineral alternatives. Same spooky vibes, zero desecration.

Pick Your Poison!

This week at The Art Store, we’re showcasing our Spookiest Shades — from blood-curdling crimsons and granulating dragons bloods, to spectral greys, and of course, our mummy-inspired hues! Stop in to swatch a little darkness and get inspired by the chilling history behind the colors!

After all, what’s more haunting than painting with the dead?

Happy Haunting, Y'all! 

XOXOXOX
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