Alizarin crimson is a pigment that was first synthesized in 1868 by the German chemists Carl Gräbe and Carl Lieberman and replaced the natural pigment madder lake. Alizarin Crimson is a dye bonded onto alum which is then used as a pigment. It is not totally colorfast, when mixed with ochre, sienna and umber.
Crimson, or Crimson Lake, or Carmine is sometimes the names given to the dye made from the dried bodies of the female cochineals although it is more common to call the pigment "cochineal" after the insect from which it is made. It appears to have been discovered during the conquest of Mexico by Spaniard Hernán Cortés and brought to Europe in early 1500s. Carmine was first described by Mathioli in 1549.
Carmine is an aluminium and calciumsalt of carminic acid and carmine lake is an aluminium or aluminum-tin lake of cochineal extract, whereas Crimson lake is prepared by striking down an infusion of cochineal with a 5 percentsolution of alum and cream of tartar. Purple lake is prepared like carmine lake with the addition of lime to produce the deep purple tone. Carmine dyes tend to fade fast.
