Harris 1710/II

John Harris, Lexicon Technicum: Or, An Universal English Dictionary of Arts and Sciences: Explaining Not only the Terms of Art, tut the Arts Themselves II, London [Daniel Brown – Timothy Goodwin – John Walthoe – John Nicholson – Benjamin Tooke – Daniel Midwinter  – Maurice Atkins – Thomas Ward] 1710.

FRESCO. Painting in Fresco is thus perform’d. The Colours are ground with Lime-Water, Milk, or Whey, and temper’d or mix’d together in Pots, as in Size Colouring. The Plaister is made of the Powder of old rubbish Stones, mixt with burnt Flints or Lime, and Water; but the Salt of the Lime must be wash’d out, by often pouring on fresh Water; and to make the Plaister stick the better, they drive in Stumps of Horse-nails about 6 Inches asunder. With this Plaister the Wall is to be laid thick, and then it must be let dry; and afterwards a new Layer of Plaister is put of the Thickness of an Half-Crown; and the Colours must be wrought with a quick free Hand whilst it is wet, for there is no altering of it after it is dry. This Way of Painting was in most ancient Use among the Greeks, and from them came to the Romans, with whom it was famous. Raphael Urbin and Julio Romano were eminent this Way: There being three Chambers in the Vatican of their Doing, yet in being.