BIZIO,BARTOLOMEO AND THE REDISCOVERY OF TYRIAN PURPLE

The origin and chemical properties of Tyrian purple were first describ ed in 1833 by Bartolomeo Bizio, a Venetian chemist. The work of Bizio on the red-purple dye is reported in a series of papers covering the p eriod from 1832 to 1860.Bizio's description of the nature and properti es of the dye was not only remarkably accurate, but clearly predates w hat were claimed as original discoveries by later authors. It is aston ishing that a man who lived and worked in the early nineteenth century anticipated so many aspects of the chemistry of Tyrian purple that wo uld be confirmed many years later.