Sepia - what is it? This token, having a foreign origin, is quite rare in use. And, as a result, it causes difficulties in its interpretation. If you look at the dictionary, you can find that this word is ambiguous and is used in areas such as zoology, photography, and fine art. Detailed information about what it is - sepia is presented in this article.
Zoological term
One of the meanings of the word “sepia” is cephalopod cuttlefish. As a matter of fact, in Latin, sepia just means cuttlefish. This word comes from the Latin noun sepia, which, in turn, is formed from the ancient Greek σηπία in the same meaning.
About thirty modern cuttlefish species belonging to the genus Sepia live mainly in warm seas, close to the coast. Although these mollusks can swim, they usually stick to the bottom, guarding prey there, which consists of crustaceans and fish.
Cuttlefish is distinguished from other cephalopods by the presence of an internal calcareous shell, which has the appearance of a wide plate. It occupies most of the dorsal side of the body. On both sides of the oval body is bordered by a narrow bony rim, which stretches along the entire body. The fins separate only at the posterior end of the body.
The grasping ends are long, they are completely pulled into special pits, similar to bags. The rest of the hands are short. In structure, in males, the fourth left hand is different from that in females, as it is used for fertilization.
Ink bag paint
What is sepia like paint? Cuttlefish has an ink bag. From the liquid contained in it, make a brown paint, called "sepia." She began to produce in the English Channel and the Mediterranean. Today she is brought from Sri Lanka. The color of the paint is intense, it has good coloring ability. So, the secret of just one cuttlefish can stain for several seconds thousands and thousands of liters of water.
To prepare ink, cephalopod bags are dried, finely ground, the resulting powder is boiled in a liquor solution. The dye is precipitated with hydrochloric acid, washed with water, and then dried at low temperature. After that, it is carefully frayed with gum arabic (a solid transparent resin consisting of dried acacia juice) and sold in the form of cakes.
In painting and photography
At first, the color of sepia is close to black, and after a certain time it turns into red-brown. It was used by European artists, beginning in the mid-18th century, as a watercolor pigment and ink for painting with a brush and pen.
Sepia is also called one of the types of graphic technology that uses shades of brown. It was also common in Europe from the middle of the 18th century, for example, in France, where it was used by such an artist as Jean Honore Fragonard.
In the 20th century, sepia is a watercolor type paint that has many colors and is made artificially. She is less resistant.
Natural sepia is sometimes used in photography to tint photos in brown. A side effect of sepia is the conversion to metallic silver sulfide, which is more resistant to fading. That is why many old photographs are not black and white, but brown.
In conclusion, the study of the question of what it is, sepia, will be considered and another aspect of its application.
In homeopathy
Sepia is used as a homeopathic remedy in order to normalize the well-being of women during the hormonal adjustment of the body with menopause. And also in case of insufficient presence of such a hormone as estrogen in the blood.
This medicine is prepared from cuttlefish ink, previously cleaned and dried in vivo. Among the grounds for his appointment can be identified such as:
- unhealthy, earthy complexion;
- excess sweat;
- bruises under the eyes;
- prostration;
- chronic constipation;
- pulsation under the left eye;
- headache;
- itching in the labia;
- gonorrhea;
- eczema;
- a sharp change in mood;
- a feeling of heaviness in the stomach;
- varicose veins;
- tonsillitis;
- vaginal discharge;
- sharp visual impairment;
- bronchitis;
- halitosis;
- lower abdominal pain;
- chronic cystitis;
- neurosis.
Sepia is also prescribed when hair loss is caused by hormonal imbalance. This usually occurs with a decrease in estrogen concentration.