Jason Ballas, age 14, of Albuquerque, N.M., for his question:
HOW IS A FRESCO PAINTED?
Fresco in Italian means "fresh." Fresco is a method or art of painting with watercolors on plaster, while the plaster is still wet or fresh. The term fresco is also applied to the painting executed in this manner.
In executing fresco, the painter applies to the wet plaster surface a sketch or cartoon of the painting. The outlines of the various figures and forms of the cartoon are then indented on the plaster surface with a pointed implement.
After removal of the cartoon, color is applied, often aided by another sketch or the color scheme. As the plaster dries, the lime in the plaster reacts chemically with the carbon dioxide in the air to form calcium carbonate. This compound forms a film over the colors which binds them to the plaster. This makes them part of its actual surface and also gives the colors an unusual clarity.
The colors of a fresco are usually thin, transparent and light, often with a chalky look. In the Renaissance, methods were found to give the colors somewhat more opaqueness.
In fresco painting, the work must be done quickly and confined to essentials. The artist must know exactly how much watercolor the plaster will absorb. Too much paint causes the surface to become "rotten." Cutting away the defective portion, laying on fresh plaster and repainting is then necessary.
In fresco secco, the dry plaster is first rubbed with pumice stone to remove the crust and then it is washed with a thin mixture of water and lime. The colors are applied to this surface. The effect of fresco secco is inferior to true fresco. The colors are not as clear and the painting has less durability.
Fresco painting was known to the ancient Egyptians, Cretans and Greeks. The Romans also practiced fresco painting.
The early Christians in the second century A.D. used frescoes to decorate the walls of catacombs, or underground burial vaults.
Fresco painting was neglected until the late 13th century, when the art experienced a great revival in Italy, begun by a pair of Florentine painters named Cimabue and Giotto. They painted many fine examples in churches in Assisi, Florence and Pisa.
In the 15th century the art flourished in Florence, notably in the work of Masaccio, Benozzo, Gozzoli, Pinturicchio and Ghirlandairo.
Fresco painting reached its peak in the 16th century with the supreme achievements of Raphael in the Vatican Palace and with Michelangelo's "Last Judgment" and the "Genesis" ceiling frescoes that he executed in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel.
Fresco painting was widely practiced in Europe in the 18th century, although nobility of style was replaced by elegance and stunning illusionistic effects.
In the 19th century the art was revived largely for the embellishment of public buildings. The most important center for fresco painting in the 20th century has been Mexico.