At the Harvard University Harvard Art Museums Forbes Pigment Collection, many of the world’s rarest hues are preserved. Just don’t ask Narayan Khandekar, director of the Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies, what his favorite color is.

The materials collection, at the Harvard Art Museums in Cambridge, MA, houses thousands of pigments, including some of the world’s rarest. Dragon’s blood, mummy, Indian yellow: these are but a few flashy highlights from the museum’s collection

Edward Forbes began what is known as the Forbes Pigment Collection after acquiring a decayed Renaissance painting in 1899, embarking on a path that shaped art conservation in America. Read about the legacy of the Harvard Art Museums pigment collection via Artnet news: http://hvrd.me/MkIf300QWc8