Internet Colors - Set of 1035

Smalt Color 883 - #003399

Powdered cobalt glass, called smalt (or also simply cobalt glass), has been historically important as a pigment in painting, pottery, for surface decoration of other types of glass and ceramics, and other media. It is colored to a deep powder blue hue using cobalt ions derived from cobalt oxide.

Chinese porcelain used smalt glazes from the Tang Dynasty onwards, though Chinese cobalt glass is found from the Chou dynasty (1122-221 BC). Cobalt was used as a pigment in Central Asia from the 13th century. A fragment of a mud painting in the ancient Tangut city of Khara-Khoto has been found to contain smalt, judged to be dated between 11th to 13th century.