Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The Giornato
Once the final plaster
coat was applied, artists
had to work quickly
before it dried. This
meant painting a small
area of plaster each day
(the
giornato
, or daily
portion). Joins between
the sections were often
concealed in borders,
columns and frames.
Masons
left the bare
wall surface uneven.
The bare wal
l was covered
with coarse plaster, called
arriccio
, made of clay, hair,
sand and lime.
The artist
either sketched
his design on to the
arriccio
using the pigment
sinopia
, and
then painted directly on to the
plaster, or he prepared a char-
coal drawing on paper which
was copied onto the wall.
The final fresco
was
painted on to a top coat
of fine, lime-based plaster
called
intonaco
.
Workshops
The master artist worked in
tandem with apprentices
employed in his workshop.
The master concentrated on
important features,
such as faces
and expressive
gestures.
Apprentices
While learning their
trade, apprentices painted
drapery, backgrounds
and architectural details
in the style of their master.