BOOKS
1. "Bright Earth", Philip Ball (Farrar, Straus and Girous, Pub.) 2001
Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0374116792/qid=1027541575/sr=1-10/ref=sr_1_10/104-2782513-6131956
This text shows the relationship of artists and alchemists/chemists through the centuries and how the availability of pigments has influenced the paintings produced.
a review from the Amazon site:
Bright Earth: Art and the Invention of Color by Philip Ball is an amazing mix of color, art, chemistry, and mineralogy. Ball takes the reader on a field trip through the history of pigments and the paintings painted with them, with a strong emphasis on the chemistry that he knows well. The underlying thesis of the book is that the pigments available at a particular moment in history had a strong influence on the art made with them and, based on extensive empirical evidence presented in the book, I would say that Ball has made his case. If you aren't prepared for large amounts of well-written detail, stay away from this book. As a geologist turned high school chemistry and earth science teacher with a love of art, I found much to like about Bright Earth.
2. De Re Metallica, Georgius Agricola, 1556, translated by H.Hoover and L. Hoover
Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0486600068/qid=1027541988/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/104-2782513-6131956
a review from the Amazon site:
This early work describes the thinking of early technologists and shows the development of materials technology and related engineering knowledge of the late 15th century. Of particular interest is the detailed research done by Herbert Hoover, former President and mining engieer. His research is detailed in extensive foot notes. The illustrations are exact copies of the originals. Some of the early chapters are the most intersting reading because of the insights gained into archaic thinking that extrapolates to modern times.
MUSEUMS LINKS
All of the painting illustrations have been downloaded from the following sites:
The Metropolitan Museum of Art: http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/index.asp
The Pre-Raphaelite Paintings from: http://www.nouveaunet.com/prbpassion/
and http://persephone.cps.unizar.es/General/Gente/SPD/Pre-Raphaelites/