From the outset wallpaper was often colored with pigments that used large doses of arsenic, lead, and antimony, but after 1775 it was frequently soaked in an especially insidious compound called copper arsenite, which was invented by the great but wonderfully hapless Swedish chemist Karl Scheele.* The color was so popular that it became known as Scheele's green. Later, with the addition of copper acetate, it was refined into an even richer pigment known as emerald green. This was used to color all kinds of things-playing cards, candles, clothing, curtain fabrics, and even some foods. But it was especially popular in wallpaper.
Historically, wallpaper was treated with toxic pigments containing arsenic, lead, and antimony. After 1775, a particularly dangerous substance known as copper arsenite was commonly used, developed by the chemist Karl Scheele. This pigment gained immense popularity and became known as Scheele's green, celebrated for its vivid color.
As time went on, Scheele's green was enhanced with copper acetate, producing an even more vibrant color called emerald green. This appealing shade found...
