Ultramarine is a deep blue color pigment which was originally made by grinding lapis lazuli into a powder. It's lengthy grinding and washing process makes the natural pigment quite valuable— roughly ten times more expensive than the stone it comes from and nearly as expensive as gold.

The name ultramarine comes from the Latin ultramarinus which means 'beyond the sea' because the pigment was imported by Italian traders during the 14th and 15th centuries from mines in Afghanistan. Much of the expansion of ultramarine can be attributed to Venice which historically was the port of entry for lapis lazuli in Europe.

Ultramarine was the finest and most expensive blue used by Renaissance painters. It was often used for the robes of the Virgin Mary and symbolized holiness and humility. It remained an extremely expensive pigment until a synthetic ultramarine was invented in 1826.

Ultramarine is a permanent pigment when under ideal preservation conditions. Otherwise, it can become susceptible to discoloration and fading.