Chrome yellow
A bright yellow pigment made from lead chromate, once popular in art and industry
Chrome yellow is a strong, warm yellow pigment made from lead chromate. First synthesised in the early 1800s, it became widely used in painting, textiles, and industry for its vivid colour, but concerns over its toxicity and tendency to darken have led to its replacement by safer pigments.
Share on WhatsAppOpen in the lab
- Made from lead chromate, discovered in the early 1800s
- Used by Van Gogh in his Sunflowers paintings
- Tends to darken and can turn brown or green over time
- Toxic due to lead and chromate content
- Replaced by cadmium yellow and organic pigments
What colour is Chrome yellow?
Chrome yellow is a vivid, warm yellow pigment, notable for its brightness and strength. It stands out from other yellows for its orange undertone and high opacity. The colour is made from lead chromate, which gives it a rich, sunny look. Chrome yellow is more intense than many natural yellows and was once the main choice for artists and industry when a bold yellow was needed.
Where does Chrome yellow come from?
The pigment comes from lead chromate, first synthesised in the early 19th century. French chemist Louis Nicolas Vauquelin discovered chromium while studying crocoite, a mineral form of lead chromate. This led to the creation of chrome yellow and other chromate pigments. The name 'chrome yellow' first appeared in English in 1818. It quickly became popular in art and design for its striking colour.
How is Chrome yellow made?
Chrome yellow is produced by mixing lead(II) salts with a source of chromate, causing the pigment to form as a fine solid. The raw pigment is often coated with transparent oxides to protect it from fading and darkening. Related pigments are made by replacing some chromate with sulfate or molybdate, which changes the intensity of the colour. The pigment's high lead and chromate content makes it toxic.
Where Chrome yellow is used
Artists such as Vincent van Gogh used chrome yellow in paintings, including his Sunflowers series. It was also widely used in fashion, especially in the 1920s and 1930s, for dresses and accessories. In industry, chrome yellow coloured paints, plastics, and ceramics. Its use has declined due to health risks and its tendency to darken over time, leading to its replacement by cadmium yellow and organic pigments.
Yellow around the world
What the yellow family means from country to country.
The yellow disc of the Aboriginal flag is the sun, giver of life. The flag was designed by the Luritja artist Harold Thomas and first flown in Adelaide in 1971.
Sacred and holySource: Australian Aboriginal flagAt the gaye holud, held a day or two before a wedding, relatives rub turmeric paste on the bride and groom. Guests dress in yellow and orange.
Weddings and marriageFestival and celebrationJoySource: Gaye holudOn Pohela Falgun, the first day of spring, young women wear yellow and orange saris, a shade called basanti, with flowers in their hair.
Festival and celebrationNature and renewalJoySource: Pohela FalgunThe Flemish flag is a black lion on yellow, and the Walloon flag a red cockerel on yellow. The language communities are often shown by these colours.
Politics and protestPrideSource: Flag of FlandersThe flag is yellow, the colour of the Sultan. By custom, ordinary people did not wear yellow in the ruler's presence.
Royalty and powerPrideSource: Flag of BruneiThe national football team plays in a yellow shirt with green trim, the canarinho. It was chosen in a newspaper contest after the 1950 World Cup final was lost in white.
Festival and celebrationPrideJoySource: Brazil national football teamShades and relatives of Chrome yellow
Chrome yellow can vary in shade depending on how much chromate is replaced by sulfate or molybdate, with more sulfate making the colour paler. When mixed with organic colours, it can take on a greenish tone. Cadmium yellow and organic pigments like arylides are now used as safer alternatives. Chrome yellow is sometimes confused with other strong yellow pigments.
Colours that go with Chrome yellow
Harmonies are worked out from the value #FFA700. Contrast ratios follow the WCAG 2 formula.
Questions people ask about Chrome yellow
What colour is chrome yellow?
Chrome yellow is a bright, warm yellow with an orange undertone. It is known for its strong, vivid appearance and high opacity.
Where does the name chrome yellow come from?
The name comes from its chemical makeup, lead chromate, which contains the element chromium. The pigment was first synthesised after chromium was discovered in the mineral crocoite.
Why is chrome yellow no longer widely used?
Chrome yellow contains toxic lead and chromate, and it tends to darken or change colour over time. These issues led to its replacement by safer pigments like cadmium yellow and organic alternatives.
Who are some famous artists who used chrome yellow?
Vincent van Gogh used chrome yellow in many paintings, especially in his Sunflowers series. The pigment was popular among artists in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Chrome yellow", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Rang rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. The swatch is an approximation: named colours are not fixed standards, and every screen shows them a little differently. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
More of the yellow family
All of yellow
#FFFF00
Yellow
A primary colour between green and orange, seen in sunlight, leaves, and pigmentsBasic colour 路 馃嚝馃嚪 France +5
Yellow
Orpiment
A golden-yellow mineral pigment once prized for its brilliant colour and rarityPigment 路 馃嚜馃嚞 Egypt +5
Yellow
Tartrazine
A synthetic lemon yellow dye widely used in food, cosmetics and medicinesDye
#FFFDD0
Cream
A soft yellow-white named after the top layer of milkNamed shade
#E49B0F
Gamboge
A strong yellow pigment tapped from Southeast Asian treesPigment 路 馃嚢馃嚟 Cambodia +5
#C2B280
Ecru
A pale, greyish yellow once named for unbleached linenNamed shade
#FADA5E
Naples yellow
A historic synthetic yellow pigment once prized by painters and pottersPigment 路 馃嚜馃嚞 Egypt +1
#E3A857
Indian Yellow
A clear, glowing orange-yellow pigment once made in India from cow urinePigment 路 馃嚠馃嚦 India