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Not every historical painting pigment came from minerals or plants.
Artists in some periods used cochineal, a brilliant red colorant derived from tiny scale insects.
The insects were processed to produce a strong red dye that could be used in textiles and artistic materials.
The resulting color became highly valued in parts of Europe after the establishment of trade routes bringing cochineal from the Americas.
Because the pigment was vivid and associated with expensive materials, red could carry both artistic and economic significance.
A beautiful red area in an old artwork may therefore have an unexpectedly biological origin.
One of the most striking colors in art history was, quite literally, produced by insects.
© The Metropolitan Museum of Art