A Perfect Red. Empire, Espionage, and the Quest fo

Category: History: Technology: Paint

Copyright/published Year: 2005 by Harper Collins

ISBN: 0060522755

Binding: hardcover

Description: A Perfect Red recounts the colorful history of cochineal, ì a legendary red dye that was once one of the world's most ì precious commodities. Treasured by the ancient Mexicans, ì cochineal was sold in the great Aztec marketplaces, where it ì attracted the attention of the Spanish conquistadors in 1519. ì Shipped to Europe, the dye created a sensation, producing the ì brightest, strongest red the world had ever seen. Soon Spain's ì cochineal monopoly was worth a fortune. Desperate to find their own sources of the elusive dye, the ì English, French, Dutch, and other Europeans tried to crack the ì enigma of cochineal. Did it come from a worm, a berry, a seed? ì Could it be stolen from Mexico and transplanted to their own ì colonies? Pirates, explorers, alchemists, scientists, and spies ì -- all joined the chase for cochineal, a chase that lasted more ì than three centuries. A Perfect Red tells their stories -- ì true-life tales of mystery, empire, and adventure, in pursuit of ì the most desirable color on earth.

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