Etymology
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sienna (n.)

brownish-ochre color, by 1760 (terra-sienna), from Italian terra di Sienna "earth of Siena," region in Italy where the coloring material first was produced from a type of earth mined there. It is used as a pigment in both oil and watercolor painting. See Siena.

Burnt sienna is the raw material roasted in a furnace before powdering. By this means the color is changed to a warm reddish brown similar to old mahogany. It is, like raw sienna, translucent in body. [Century Dictionary]

Entries linking to sienna

Siena 

city in central Italy, site of a school of medieval painting, probably from Senones, the name of a Gaulish people who settled there in ancient times. Related: Sienese. For the coloring material, see sienna.

umber (n.)

brown earthy pigment, 1560s, from French ombre (in terre d'ombre), or Italian ombra (in terra di ombra), both from Latin umbra "shade, shadow" (see umbrage) or else from Umbra, fem. of Umber "belonging to Umbria," region in central Italy from which the coloring matter first came (compare Sienna). Burnt umber, specially prepared and redder in color, is attested from c. 1650, distinguished from raw umber.

updated on October 05, 2022

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