Lunchtime Talk: The Materiality and Myth of Mummy Brown Paint

Join PhD specialist, Lauren Bruce to hear about the history of “mummy brown” paint.  

How the remains of mummified people were historically portrayed and used as commodities is in violent contrast to contemporary ethical standards. The 19th century saw a lucrative trade in the remains of ancient Egyptian mummified people and animals, with some being exported to appear in cabinets of curiosity and museum displays. Perhaps most shocking though was the making and use of so called “mummy brown” paint. 

Made from ground-up mummified remains, “mummy brown” was a popular pigment with the Pre-Raphaelite artists. They thought it was particularly suited for replicating flesh tones and hair, and considered it perfect for capturing the essence of red-haired muses, in their masterpieces.  

In this talk, Lauren Bruce will uncover the myths and realities behind and use of “mummy brown” paint, reframing our understanding beyond prevailing Gothic associations to recognise the colonial violence that produced and manufactured it. Looking at artworks by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Eugène Delacroix, Lawrence Alma-Tadema, and Edward Burne-Jones from a travel, art history, and Gothic perspective, she aims to find a balance to demonstrate the materiality and violent reality of “mummy brown” paint.  

This listing is for the in-person talk happening at the Millennium Gallery. Thanks to funding from the Chromotope project, the event will also be live streamed to watch online – if you would like to book a ticket to the live stream of the event instead, please click here. 

Lauren Bruce is a PhD student examining how mummified remains were perceived and treated in the long nineteenth century through a travel lens. Concentrating on travel narratives, visual culture, and museum displays, she considers the impact of mummified people and travel writing within the broader scope of the ‘Egyptomania’ craze during this era.  

This event is part of the programme of events complementing The Ruskin Collection: Capturing Colour and Colour exhibitions at Millennium Gallery.