Fresco Painting

Fresco or al fresco painting, based on the Italian word for "fresh," refers to a mural painting that, rather than painted directly upon a wall, is bound to the surface of the wall by applying pigments on lime plaster while it is still fresh. This technique allows long-lasting murals to be created in both interior and exterior walls. It is believed that fresco painting has been practices since approximately 1500 BCE. Some of its oldest examples can be appreciated in the surviving frescoes in the Cnossos Palace of Crete and in Pompeian frescoes of ancient Rome, dating prior to 79 CE. In De Architectura, a treatise on classical Greek architecture written around 27 BCE, Roman architect Vitruvius includes an explanation of the fresco painting process. Despite its antiquity, fresco is still considered as one of the best techniques for large murals.

Brief History

Mural painting developed through time an ample variety of media and techniques. Despite being a very labor-intensive technique, fresco painting achieved several peaks in popularity throughout its history. It originated in antiquity and was adopted by the Romans from the Greeks, reaching widespread diffusion by the medieval and Renaissance periods. The popularity of fresco painting tended to revive whenever a stylistic period, such as the baroque, for instance, underwent a classical revival phase.

Experts have argued that the origin of fresco painting goes back to the ancient civilizations of Assyria and Egypt, and some works have been found in Far East Asia as well. Ancient frescos show a great level of realism. Romans, for example, used fresco murals in their interiors to represent amazingly lifelike images of everyday life, household spaces, and familiar landscapes.

During the Byzantine Empire, fresco-based mural painting became important, and continued to expand during the Gothic and Renaissance epochs. During the Gothic era, however, residential murals declined in popularity and gave way to tapestries, while stained glass became popular in church architecture. Thus the popularity of fresco painting waxed and waned, but the technique was never completely abandoned.

Frescoes acquired new life during the Renaissance. Among the most celebrated artists in fresco painting are Giotto di Bondone, Leonardo da Vinci, Michaelangelo Buonarroti, Raffaelo Sanzio or Rafael, Tiziano Vecelli or Titian, and Giovanni Battista Zelotti. In fact Zelotti, according to many experts, was the most renowned fresco painter of his time. During the Renaissance, the technique of fresco was used, in combination with architecture, as a way to recreate classical aesthetic values. Renaissance artists, for example, were known to explore Roman ruins and study the frescoes found beneath. Among the artists who adopted fresco painting was the famous architect Andrea Palladio, who spent his life recreating the elements of classical architecture in Italy. Classical-inspired frescos decorate the walls and ceilings of many aristocratic villas designed by Palladio.

Artists continued to experiment with fresco processes, perspectives, and materials. For example, ancient Romans created the aerial perspective, and three-dimensionality, or trompe l’oeil, surged during the baroque period. Other technical innovations developed in time; the most important of these are known as buon fresco or fresco buono, fresco secco, and mezzo fresco.

Overview

Fresco painting remains the most commonly used for murals. For long, the main technique involved covering a wall with several layers of lime plaster, also known as intonaco, and painting the mural over it when the last layer applied was still fresh. In this process, the plaster serves as the binder that adheres the pigments to the wall; the pigments are usually based on oxide, a mineral which is very stable in the light, making it durable. Fresco painting, then, involves selecting adequate materials, dissolving them in water and applying to the wall in layers, while the previous layer is still fresh. Through this process, the pigments become part of the plaster as it dries, which in turn adheres to the wall. The colors, however, are usually less vibrant compared with those applied by other methods.

The ideal mineral for lime plaster is extracted from lime rock and sand. The sand, however, should be free from salts, which is why it is preferable to use sand from regions other than sea coasts. Upon entering into contact with oxygen, the painted surface forms a water resistant film made of calcium carbonate. This film functions as a binder for the pigment and to protect the painting.

Fresco painting is very labor intensive and usually requires much planning. It is often impossible to repaint if errors occur. In the planning process, the master artist traces the general depiction of the art piece, which is segmented by parts onto the mural. Team work is important, because a painting is usually done top to bottom, and each of the segments must be finished in one day, while the plaster is still wet.

The process requires a complex scaffolding system with painters working in teams. It is also taxing on the body, as some segments, such as ceilings, may require the artists to work in unnatural postures for extended periods of time. The master also works on the mural, and is usually in charge of the whole composition as well as directing the artists. This method is usually known as fresco buono.

Another fresco process is known as fresco secco, retoque alla secca or dry fresco. In this case, the painting process takes place over dry plaster and requires a binder such as oils or tempera. It is a riskier process, because it involves re-wetting the dry painting; if done incorrectly, it may cause swelling or the paint may crack, with the consequent deterioration of the fresco mural. A famous example is that of Renaissance master Leonardo da Vinci, who experimented with fresco secco. Some of his murals, such as the celebrated Last Supper at the convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, began to deteriorate soon after finished. Some artists prefer fresco secco, however, because it allows for more precision in details as well as retouching. It also allows for a more subtle variety of colors.

Yet another type of fresco is known as mezzo fresco. Mezzo fresco involves painting over an almost dry surface. In this manner, the pigment does not penetrate the plaster as deeply as in fresco buono, allowing for more control over the color. Among the many masterpieces of art created by fresco painting is Giotto’s Adoration of the Magi, which used both fresco buon fresco and fresco secco, and Michaelangelo’s paintings in the Sistine Chapel.

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