Massoul 1797

Constant de Massoul, A Treatise on the Art of Painting and the Composition of Colours, Containing Instructions for all the Various Processes of Painting, Together with Observations upon the Qualties and Ingredients of Colours, London [Thomas Baylis] 1797.

pp. 71–73

PAINTING IN FRESCO.

PAINTING in Fresco is the using colours prepared with water, upon plaster which must be wet, in order that the colours may penetrate.

As Paintings in Fresco will last no longer than the walls or cielings, upon which they are painted, remain in a good condition, the greatest attention should be paid to have these as solid as possible, and guard against the inconveniences that cracks and crevices might occasion.

These precautions being taken, you must begin as soon as the place on which you are to paint, is covered with fresh plaster. All the parts you intend to do, should be begun and finished the same day. This circumstance, peculiar to Fresco, by taking away from the Painter all resources of retouching, or making any alteration in his work, renders it absolutely necessary to have, before his eyes, a finished outline, with all the necessary measures and proportions of his subject. It would, otherwise, be very difficult for him to attain that union of composition, which so greatly conduces to the perfection of his work.

This, so advantageous for all styles of Painting, is indispensable in Fresco, as it is not possible to sketch, at once, all the different parts of the Picture: the Painter must not only have finished, in the day, his given part, but this must be so executed, as to render it impossible to discover, after the work is entirely performed, that it has been painted by pieces.

The colours most generally used for Painting in Fresco, are:

All the coloured Earths	Ochres
	Mountain Green
Lime White	Blue Black
Marble White	Cinnabar
White of Egg-shells	Enamel Blue