Throughout history, minerals have been used as vibrantly colored pigments to make paint. Although artists today use them less frequently, the presence of mineral pigments in painted works of art assists art conservators and researchers in dating, identifying and in restoration.

In Ground Minerals from Pigments to Palette, visitors will discover minerals like hematite and limonite that create red and yellow hues seen in prehistoric cave paintings, and lapis lazuli, a blue pigment mineral used for special applications in Renaissance paintings.

The exhibition is on view February 7 - May 13 in the Mineralogical Museum in Penny Hall on the University of Delaware’s Newark campus. The Mineralogical Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free.