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X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis tells us what kind of blue was used
for the Grand Duchess’ elaborate dress. XRF is a non-invasive method that
allows the identification of different elements, providing information about
the used

pigments.50
We were able to identify aluminium (Al) and silicon (Si). Pulzone used
precious ultramarine pigment in his rendering of the sumptuous robe. The
blue also contains traces of copper (Cu), which suggests azurite, but not
enough to achieve such an intense blue colour.

The gold and silver embroidery was painted in a mixture of yellow ochre
and vermilion, as well as in lead tin yellow and some vermilion. The red
colour used for the carnation is a mixture of umbra and vermilion applied in
delicate brushstrokes. In contrast, her lips are executed in red earth. Finally,
the artist added reddish-brown dabs and lines. Painted with extreme care,
the white filigree lace framing her décolleté was added after the application
of ultramarine. Today, the originally very dark, almost black ultramarine has
been affected by what is known as the `ultramarine illness´, which changes
the originally deep blue into a lighter hue. In the inventory of Archduke

R1a
R2a R2a R1b