Dates of Use: 1868–present day
Source: Human-made synthetic organic dye made from coal tar
Chemical Name: Alizarin
Formula: C14H8O4
- Alizarin is made from coal tar, a by-product of the production of coke and coal gas.
- It was the first synthetic (human-made) dye to replicate a natural dye, specifically madder red from the madder plant. The name “alizarin” comes from the Arabic word for madder (alizari).
- Alizarin is the product of modern chemistry and the Industrial Revolution.
- Alizarin, like all dyes, can be made into paint by dyeing a colorless particle (such as chalk or alum). A pigment made from a dye is called a “lake.”
Alizarin versus Madder
Alizarin’s invention ruined the market for madder. Alizarin was brighter and cheaper to make than madder red. It was also simpler to produce than madder, which had to be grown and processed. Madder had been used since ancient times to create high-quality red dye and paint. The widespread cultivation and trade of madder collapsed quickly as alizarin became popular.
