Dye

Plants historically cultivated for pigments extracted from leaves, bark, roots, or seeds. Natural colorants such as indigo blue or madder red drove significant trade before synthetic dyes. This tag is handy for crafters, historians, or anyone cataloging ethnobotanical uses.

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  Indigo: Layers of Paint, History, and Art

  Vermeer’s *Girl with a Pearl Earring* once featured a rich indigo background, now faded with time—along with the memory of the dye’s colonial origins. This story uncovers the global history of indigo, linking its artistic and agricultural uses to the exploitation that fueled its trade, while also highlighting its enduring cultural significance.
  shrub, dye, legume, tropical