What is Fresco
Fresco is a painting technique dating back to antiquity known for the vibrance of the paint colors and durability. Famously known for the works of Michelangelo and Raphael, fresco is a method of painting typically involving the use of fresh pigments to paint directly on wet plaster. The Italian word fresco is derived from the High German frisc meaning fresh. The first documented use of the word in association with painting dates to the 1590s, literally translating in fresco as “in fresh” to convey the properties of the technique: painting onto fresh plaster.
Sistine Chapel Fresco
How to Identify Fresco
Identifying whether or not a building features fresco painting is relatively simple. Confirming the substrate beneath the painting is plaster and that the painting was completed directly to the substrate, one can be sure that the work is in fact a fresco. A basic mural analysis can identify more precisely which type of fresco and whether or not the work has been overpainted during its history. An analysis of the murals provides both a detailed report outlining the methods and materials as well as conservation suggestions if necessary.
Types of Fresco
Traditionally there are three fresco methods: buon, secco, and mezzo. Buon or true fresco is the most typical and traditional technique. The ground pigments are added to water and painted directly onto lime or gypsum plaster, arriccio, without use of a binder. As the plaster cures, the pigment is absorbed into the surface. This approach works against the drying time of the plaster. Therefore for each day of work, the artist prepares only enough wet plaster, intonaco, that he/she is able to paint in a single day. The secco or dry technique does require a paint binder since the paint is applied to the plaster surface when the intonaco is dry. The surface of a secco painting is typically rougher than that of a buon since the inconsistent surface aids in the binding of the paint. This technique is often used on buon frescos to touch up or add details. The coloration of secco frescos are generally less vibrant than buon frescos. A mezzo or medium fresco is when paint is applied to a nearly dry plaster surface. The pigment is mixed with limewater to create a stronger bond between the plaster and the pigment. This technique helps to extend the amount of time the painter is able to work allowing him/her to cover larger areas.
Herculaneum / Pompeii wall paintings
Brief History of Fresco
Testament to the longevity of wall frescos may be found in the prehistoric cave paintings in the Lascaux Caves. In applying earthen pigments to the wet limestone walls, the pigment became one with the cave wall surfaces. The technique, perhaps unknown to these early artists, was later developed by the Greeks and Romans to be used on both interior and exterior walls to decorate and embellish. Some of the ancient frescoes of Pompeii and Herculaneum, preserved by the volcanic ash of Vesuvius, may be studied on location as well as in the United States at the Metropolitan Museum in New York City. The sophistication of the painting techniques, articulate use of trompe l’oeil, and the subject matter depicted shed light on the sentiments of the time. Evidence of fresco wall painting in Egypt suggests the secco method was more popular but as a result, less durable causing many of the works to be easily lost once exposed to the elements. These ancient frescos have continued to influence artists and styles from Robert Adam to Elmer Garnsey to John Canning.
Boston Public Library, Elmer Garnsey
The fresco methods have remained in practice through all artistic styles and trends. However, it is the Renaissance that is renowned for the perfection and application of fresco painting. With the arts and sciences in blossom all throughout culture, artists from Giotto to Michelangelo were offered celebrated commissions. Towards the end of the Renaissance, painting on canvas became popularized for its portability as well as production efficiency. As a result, fresco work began to decline in use. However, there are still excellent examples of modern day frescos that keep the tradition alive in use from parish churches such as the Immaculate Conception in Waterbury, Connecticut to the Detroit Industry Murals by Diego Rivera at the Detroit Institute of Art.
Lunette before photo to the left & after photo on the right at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Waterbury
The history of fresco painting uncovers a number of realities that continue to apply to art commissions and conservation to this day. As technology and sentiments evolve, the arts adapt to suit the wants and needs of culture. American interiors featuring fresco painting are rare since the technique had already been surpassed in by the efficiency of canvas wall paintings. For this reason, these works typically have a unique history behind the decision to utilize the fresco method and must be carefully conserved for the appreciation of future generations.
