What are Fresco Paintings?

The School of Athens by Raphael
(Source: Pinterest)

CONTENTS

I. Introduction

II. Origin

III. Method of Application

IV. Techniques or Types of Fresco

V. Paintings

VI. Famous Examples of Fresco Paintings

VII. Decline

VIII. References

INTRODUCTION

Renaissance or the period of ‘rebirth’ in the history of Europe was a time period marked by the revival of classical learning, art, literature, architecture and so on. 

One such revival occurred in the field of fresco painting whose origin could be traced back to classical antiquity.

The Italian word ‘al fresco’ derived its name from the process of fresco painting itself. While the last coat of plaster was freshly laid and still wet, the frescoes were executed upon it and hence took its name from this process. 

Several important artistic works of Early and High Renaissance were executed in frescoes.

ORIGIN

Earlier, frescoes had been featured in Minoan art during the Bronze Age and also in Indian, Egyptian, Greek and Roman art. They were also found around the Mediterranean basin, particularly in Morocco. 

The art of fresco painting reached its zenith during the European Renaissance.

METHOD OF APPLICATION

The term ‘fresco’ (meaning fresh in Italian) refers to a method of painting in which the pigments of colours are solely mixed with water without using any binding agent and then applied directly onto a freshly laid lime-plaster surface which is generally a wall or a ceiling.

Before applying the paint, a preparatory drawing (called ‘sinopia’) is made by the artist with the help of a red chalk. 

Once the liquid paint is absorbed by the plaster and the latter dries up, it would be permanently retained on the surface and once dried up completely, the colours would not dissolve in water.

The colours and basis of the frescoes would become inseparable and harder than stone. Although with time, internal damp could cause some damage, in general, these frescoes could withstand the forces of nature for a long time.

Therefore, this technique was extensively used by Renaissance artists because of its durability.

However, one disadvantage of this technique is that the plaster dries up very rapidly and hence the artists need to work swiftly and cover as much work as he can in one day.

TECHNIQUES OR TYPES OF FRESCO PAINTINGS

The fresco techniques can be classified into three types – Buon fresco, Secco fresco and Mezzo fresco. 

i) Buon Fresco

The most durable technique is that of Buon fresco also known as ‘true’ fresco.

In this technique, three consecutive layers of specially prepared plaster along with sand and at times marble dust are applied to the surface.

Each of the first two coats are roughly applied and allowed to dry and harden. Thereafter, the preparatory drawing is made by the artist who would trace the outlines of the design onto the prepared surface.

The ‘intonaco’ or final, smooth coating of plaster which consisted of finely sifted river-sand and lime which are mixed in certain proportions, is trowelled onto the surface. The artists would try to cover as much area as possible in one go.

An area of intonaco called a ‘giornata’ (which means 'a day's work' in Italian) is applied to a section of the wall, each day, which has to be painted before it dries. There is no scope for any error.

The incomplete sections need to be cut back, plastered and painted again.

ii) Secco Fresco

In the Secco (or dry fresco) technique, the dry, finished surfaces are soaked with limewater and painted while they are still wet.

The colours do not penetrate into the plaster but like any other type of paint, form a surface film. This method is useful for painting details and for retouching the true or Buon fresco.

Disadvantage: This technique is however less durable than Buon fresco.

iii) Mezzo Fresco

Mezzo fresco (or half fresco) technique is applied to an almost dry ‘intonaco’. In order to make the pigment gradually penetrate into the material, the layer of paint is placed on a humid mortar. This process quickly took over the Buon fresco technique.

This soon became the standard method for fresco painting because in this method, the artist did not have to diligently calculate his day’s work and could quit or resume his work at his will, which was very unlikely to happen in the Buon fresco technique.

The fresco paintings were generally light and transparent but in contrast to that, the frescoes executed in the Mezzo technique were heavy and opaque.

Since most of the fresco paintings adorned chapels and churches, the colours used in frescoes were not gaudy but mostly earth tints or natural colours which were sober in hue.

Lime was not only mixed with colours but also used as pigments for lights. In fact, the presence of lime mixed with sand rendered a delicate half-tint to the plaster ground.

FAMOUS EXAMPLES OF FRESCO PAINTINGS

The oldest fresco paintings found in India are the frescoes painted on the walls of the Ajanta and Ellora caves. These frescoes (depicting the events revolving around the life of Buddha) date back to 200 to 600 BCE.

Ajanta Cave Fresco: Cave 1
(Source: Pinterest)

‘The Last Supper’ by Leonardo da Vinci, ‘The School of Athens’ by Raphael, ‘The Last Judgment’ and other frescoes found on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo, are some of the most outstanding examples of fresco painting during the Renaissance.

The practice of fresco paintings was continued throughout the Middle or Dark Ages however, the frescoes produced during the Renaissance period differed distinctly from those of the medieval times, which we shall see in the next article.

DECLINE

The art of fresco painting gradually declined because the church was no longer the only patron of art anymore. The flourishing economy led to the rise of a new mercantile class who desired artwork that could be transported. By the mid 16th century, frescoes had been largely superseded by oil painting.

- By Deepasree Dey

REFERENCES

"Fresco Painting," Visual Arts Cork, Accessed January 31, 2023. https://www.visual-artscork.com/painting.htm

"Fresco Painting," Encyclopedia Britannica, May 22, 2020. https://www.britannica.com/art/fresco-painting

"Fresco Painting," The Crayon 8, no. 1 (1861): 15-18. https://www.jstor.org/stable/25528178

O' Hanlon, George. "History and Techniques of Fresco Painting," Natural Pigments, June 1, 2013. https://www.naturalpigments.com/artist-materials/history-technique-fresco-painting/

"Painting an Italian Landscape and Ornaments in Mezzo-Fresco," Atelier Nadai, Accessed January 31, 2023. https://www.atelier-nadai.com/MASTER-CLASS/en/The-Art-of-Italian-Grisaille-week-2-Mezzo-fresco