Refers to lead white, however as with many paint names, the usage has changed over time. In the 19th century the name referred to a paints that contained a mixture of lead white (basic lead carbonate) and chalk. An earlier usage included pigments made with plates of lead or tin. Currently lead white is the favored interpretation, however some companies draw inspiration from the lead-chalk combination in their usage of the term.
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Lootwit / Ceruse (Historical Pigment)
Lootwit
Pigment Description
Resources
CAMEO Materials Database: Conservation & Art Materials Encyclopedia Online, Museum of Fine Arts Boston. (Accessed June 2025). Ceruse https://cameo.mfa.org/wiki/Ceruse. Museum of Fine Arts Boston.
Stats
Toxicity
Toxic
Artiscreation assigns this pigment a "C", meaning "\Hazardous, use appropriate precautions for handling toxic substances, especially if working with the dry powder; Do not ingest; Avoid dust & spray." There are also extremely serious hazards for pigments containing lead. We are not toxicologists so we suggest consulting third party research as well as manufacturer MSDS. Also see Monona Rossol's research available upon request here for more information on pigments with lead.
Dry Pigments listing Lootwit
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