color chemistry definition

Chemists work with pigments to test their characteristics, and they use the knowledge they glean from this in order to create paints from colorants.  William Henry Perkin discovered aniline dyes created from coal tar in 1856.  And since then many improvements have been made in regard to performance and quality of artists’ pigments.  Synthetic pigments are available today that provide greater safety in their use, as well as strength and beauty not always available in natural pigments (some of which fade over time).  Scientists have been able to restore and save paintings from hundreds of years ago because of their knowledge of pigment permanence.