Across the Mediterranean region, a small silvery plant with green- and white-flecked fruit thrives on the edges of fields and roads. The purplish-blue dye, obtained from a Portuguese fruit, fell out of use by the 19th century. Now, a team of chemists, conservators, and a biologist has successfully restored the lost blue shade. The researchers mixed the fruit called Chrozophora tinctoria in a mixture of methanol and water, which resulted in a dark blue, almost purple shade. The research shows that the blend of historical literature and current scientific methods can sort out with pinpoint precision the chemical nature of the artist’s.
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