The People Who Were Turned Into Paint

a part of a painting

In this painting from 1815, four people are depicted, three of whom are painted with a pigment called Mummy Brown. This pigment was made from the ground-up, dried flesh of ancient mummies and was believed to have mystic healing powers. For hundreds of years, this pigment was used in countless paintings, however, its use began to decline in the late 1800s. The dwindling supply of mummies and people beginning to question its use both contributed to this decline. The people depicted in the painting likely wanted immortality, and they may have got it in an unexpected way - as part of a painting that has endured for centuries.