The color of violin paint

The color of violin paint not only serves a decorative purpose, but also serves as an important basis for studying different eras, authors, and schools of thought. Every author from different eras and places colors their instruments based on their own material sources and unique aesthetic tastes. Therefore, the color of the violin carries a distinct personality and local characteristics of the author. With the changes of the times, the coloring materials of paint have also undergone significant changes, which makes it possible for us to determine the production age of certain musical instruments based on the characteristics of the coloring materials of paint. We must recognize that the color of a violin is not only the paint of the violin, but also an important component of the violin as a whole, and is one of the symbols of a violin.

To be precise, the color of a violin is composed of three parts: the color of the wood, the color of the paint, and the color of the coloring material. We emphasize this very important point because many violin makers often only study the coloring materials of paint and overlook the other two important factors. After a period of time, the color of the wood and paint itself changed, and the appearance of the entire violin also changed accordingly.

Under natural conditions, the color change of wood follows a basic pattern. Some components in wood turn yellow under the action of light and oxygen, and refract a golden color under paint. However, wood treated with chemicals is completely different. For example, some German producers like to treat wood with potassium dichromate to make the patterns on the wood more prominent. Wood treated with potassium dichromate initially appears golden yellow, but over time it gradually turns gray, becoming a dull and dull color. If wood is treated with a higher concentration of potassium dichromate, it will develop a greenish yellow color, making the color of the violin unsightly. Violin makers are passionate about using various methods to treat the surface of their instruments, sometimes aiding in sound and appearance, but sometimes damaging the paint effect. If we observe some ancient instruments such as the works of Nicolas Amati, we will find that his paint is almost colorless, and the golden yellow color on the violin is the natural color of the wood and paint, appearing very natural and beautiful. Another viewpoint suggests that the paint on these ancient violins was originally colored red, but some red pigments (such as dragon blood) are very prone to fading. Under prolonged exposure to light, the red color almost fades away, leaving only a transparent yellow. The author believes that although this latter opinion has some truth, it may be a bit far fetched. There is a baptismal church on the main square of Cremona, which has a wooden statue frame from the same era as Amari. The color of the paint on this frame is very similar to the violin from the Amari era. We know that the position of the frame is fixed, and the direction of light exposure is also fixed. If the red color fades under the action of light, in some areas where the light is relatively weak, a certain amount of red will definitely be left behind. However, in fact, the frame is a very uniform yellow color with no red residue. So, it is almost certain that many ancient violins were originally yellow in color.