The color's rise in the West coincided with the popularity of the Virgin Mary during the Renaissance. Most artists at the time, were using ultramarine to paint Madonna's gown. To extract Ultramarine, lapis lazuli mineral is first mixed with turpentine and linseed oil/wax and then heated together to form a paste. The later is then kneaded in an alkaline solution. The blue washes out and sinks to the bottom after multiple kneading.
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