Lead white is a thick, opaque, and heavy white pigment composed primarily of basic lead carbonate, , with a crystalline molecular structure. It was the most widely produced and used white pigment in different parts of the world from antiquity until the nineteenth century, when it was displaced by less toxic zinc white and later by titanium white. Even after this drawback was known, it continued to be used in paintings and cosmetics. In seventeenth century Holland, the "Dutch" or "stack" method of producing lead white improved slightly upon the ancient process through the additional step of sealing clay pots in a room filled with horse manure or waste tan bark, which provided a source of heat and carbon dioxide, yielding basic lead carbonate through the combined action of the acetic vapors, carbonic acid, and heat. In England, a monopoly was granted for production of lead white in 1622.]]
Lead white has been widely used in various contexts across different cultures from ancient times to the present. Until the twentieth century, this highly versatile pigment was used in numerous applications, including enamel for ceramic tableware and bathroom fittings, house paints, and wallpapers. In other cultural contexts such as Greece, China, and Japan, white lead had long been a popular cosmetic foundation to make skin look smooth and pale.