A large group of pigments (approximately 6,200 examples) was assembled by the late Edward Waldo Forbes, former director of the Fogg Art Museum. This collection contains well-known organic and inorganic pigments as well as a large number of rare and unusual Oriental specimens. From this large body of material, selected samples were distributed to various museums and other institutions throughout the world. These pigments are commonly used both as a study collection and as conservation material. An informal study of the samples found that many were incorrectly identified or lacked identification. This led to a detailed study of the composition of the pigments and determination of their proper identification. See also 21-754.