Inquiring reader: This is the second post by historical paint expert Patrick Baty of Papers and Paints, who has carried out extensive research into the use of pigments in architectural and decorative paintings. He has kindly answered a question about the paint color “invisible green,” which was left on his previous post, Painting a House During the Regency Era.
Invisible Green was a favourite of Humphrey Repton, the famous landscape designer of the Georgian/Regency eras. (The image above shows his trellises painted in a dark, rich green.)
William Mason, in his poem “The English Garden” published in 1783, provides us with a very early reference to the Picturesque treatment of fences and to the colour that became know as “Invisible Green”. He describes in verse the preparation of a dark green oil paint based on yellow ochre and black with white lead. Great care was required in mixing the right colour:
‘Tis thine alone to seek what shadowy hues
Tinging thy fence may lose it in the lawn…”
and he concludes by saying:
the paint is spread, the barrier pales retire,
snatched as by magic from the gazer’s view”.
Patrick Baty, Green Schemes, Garden Door, Scottish Estate
In 1808, James Crease, the Bath colourman, described “Invisible Green” as a dark green:
so denominated from its being proper for covering gates and rails in parks, pleasure grounds, etc. by rendering them in a measure invisible at a distance on account of its approximation to the hue of the vegetation”.
In 1829, T.H. Vanherman, the London colourman, described Invisible Green as follows:
“The Invisible Green is one of the most pleasant colours for fences, and all work connected with buildings, gardens, or pleasure grounds, as it displays a richness and solidity, and also harmonizes with every object, and is a back-ground and foil to the foliage of fields, trees, and plants, as also to flowers.”
One of my early projects was at Uppark, where the young Emma Hamilton is alleged to have danced naked on the dining room table. The wonderful Lucy Inglis has written very well in her blog Georgian London about the concept of prostitution in the eighteenth century in Frances Barton – Alimony and Acting: The Life of Nosegay Fan.
More information on this topic:
- Finishes for 18th century and early 19th century fences
- The Diary Maid and the Master of Uppark
- Painting a House During the Regency Era: Q&A With Colourman Patrick Baty
Second image by Sir Humprhy Repton of a garden building for the Royal Pavillion at Brighton. The design was not used.
Jane Austen's World 
I was totally puzzled as to what that last paragraph had to do with the content of today’s post. And I was confused by the picture with the muliple layers of shades of green. Were they meant to be all the shades involved increating invisible green or was invisible green created by using stripes of differing hues? What I thought I understood was that certain paint colors were mixed together to come up with a color known as invisible green. Am I correct?
Hi Karen,
Patrick included the last paragraph in his answer about invisible green, which on the surface does not seem like it fits the post. Humphry Repton worked at Uppark, so the comment made sense to me, since Patrick referenced him. Uppark is associated with Lady Hamilton, who was a fancy prostitute at the time that she danced on Sir Harry’s table, hence the reference to Georgian London, a most amazing historical blog, and Lucy Inglis’s description of Frances Barton.
The layered green image (from Patrick’s paper) is beautiful. I included it because Patrick studies the various layers of paints that are applied on old walls and surfaces. One of those layers, I noticed, was a dark green like invisible green. I chose the images; Patrick Baty did not. It had not occurred to me before why “invisible green” had its name, until I saw a fence painted that color. It seemed to disappear into the landscape.
Makes one want to consider painting a fence green instead of white! Most interesting post. Thank you!
White vs. Green: the difference between whether the hand of man declares itself in the garden, or recedes gracefully behind nature. Love it. And any link to the wonderful “Georgian London” is fine by me. :)
"Funny Pranks" Invisible Rope Prank…
I found your blog post quite interesting so I’ve added a Trackback to it on my blog :). Thanks…
I am a great fan of invisible green and have often wondered why it is not employed more. Vic, you constantly amaze me with the comprehensiveness of your blog!
We are starting a raised vegetable garden over lawn I would like to know how to go about it, I am using treated pine sleepers for the beds do I have to dig up the lawn, or can I just build the garden over the top of it, garden beds will be approximately 400mm high. What sort of soil should I fill the vegetable beds with? Would appreciate you help.
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