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Stil de Grain - Quercitron (Historical Pigment)

NY13

Alternate Names

Yellow Lake

Dutch Pink

Pigment Description

Stil de Grain Genuine, Dutch Pink, or the catch all Yellow Lake. These aren't color names that get used a lot, as the original is made from one of several sources. Historically there have been a handful of overlapping names surrounding the terms "Yellow Lake" and NY13 and NY14 are some of them.

Here's a quick rundown of the various related pigments. NY13 refers to a colorant obtained from the bark of an oak tree, specifically Quercus tinctoria, Quercus nigra (aka Quercus velutina), and Quercus citrina.

Another pigment which sometimes shares the name Stil de Grain comes from unripe buckthorn berries NY14, and both NY13 and NY14 are fugitive.

While in modernity it's rare to come across paints made with these pigments, the historical name space still inspires paintmakers. The term Dutch Pink is another name that gets used, and sometimes causes a bit of confusion when painters find out it is yellow or brown. Artiscreation has an interesting discussion on NY13 and NY14 regarding the plants involved and the usage of the name Stil de Grain throughout history.

In the realm of dyes, different parts of these trees can be used. Acorns from the various species of Quercus oaks can be used to make acorn inks. In her book Natural Palettes Sasha Duerr discusses some of the colors that can be made from the acorns. In addition, Oak Galls (which are made from the interactions of wasps on the trees) can also be used to make ink.

Resources

NY13 pigment data from David G. Myers, The Color of Art Pigment Database, Artiscreation.com

Duerr, Sasha. Natural Palettes: Inspiration from Plant-Based Color. Princeton Architectural Press, New York, 2020. https://amzn.to/4bRE2Le

CAMEO Materials Database: Conservation & Art Materials Encyclopedia Online, Museum of Fine Arts Boston. (Accessed June 2025). Quercitron https://cameo.mfa.org/wiki/Quercitron. Museum of Fine Arts Boston.

Dry Pigments listing NY13

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