What do these three iconic art historical images - the “Trés Riches Heures de Duc de Berry,” the “Death Mask of Tutankhamen,” and (a detail from) the Sumerian “Standard of UR” have in common? A vibrant shade of blue derived from Lapis Lazuli.
Our latest BLVRD Feature: “Blue’s ‘It’ Factor” delves into the history of this vibrant, deep-blue color which obsessed the people of ancient civilizations for thousands of years, and continues to this day to inspire filmmakers, songwriters, performers, and visual artists. While we don’t want to give everything away, this mini story covers a lot of cultural ground by tracing the importance, throughout the ancient world, of this rare, highly-revered semi-precious stone, which eventually made its way to Europe via the Silk Route. C. 1300 in Venice, Italy, merchants and artisans discovered that Lapis could be turned into the most brilliant of pigments, which they aptly named ultramarine. For centuries to follow, European painters and patrons alike were willing to risk their fortunes to obtain this stunning color. Even after ultramarine could be produced synthetically, the legacy of this celestial color continues to grow!
Whether you are interested in antiquity, the Renaissance period, contemporary pop culture, the color blue, or just the most recent tech, there is something for you in this Boulevard Features’ augmented reality episode!
Boulevard Arts has more arts & culture augmented reality content coming soon. In the meantime, we encourage you to download our free app from the Apple store, and check out “Blue’s ‘It’ Factor.”