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Forum URL: http://www.truefresco.com/cgidir/dcforum/dcboard.cgi
Forum Name: History of the Buon Fresco
Topic ID: 4
Message ID: 1
#1, RE: Some Good Advice!
Posted by Yoram Neder on 18-Jan-01 at 09:07 AM
In response to message #0
Hi Gary
Cennino cennini's "Il libro del arte" put it simply "...In the name of the Most Holy Trinity I wish to start you on painting. Begin, in the first place, with working on the wall; and for that I will teach you, step by step, the method which you should follow.
When you want to work on a wall, which is the most agreeable and impressive kind of work, first of all get some lime and some sand, each of them well sifted. And if the lime is very fat and fresh it calls for two parts sand, the third part lime. And wet them up well with water; and wet up enough to last you for two or three weeks.And let it stand for a day or so, until the heat goes out of it: for when it is so hot, the plaster which you put on cracks afterward. When you are ready to plaster, first sweep the wall well, and wet it down thoroughly, for you cannot get it too wet. And take your lime mortar, well worked over, a trowelful at a time; and plaster once or twice, to begin with, to get the plaster flat on the wall. Then, when you want to work, remember first to make this plaster quite uneven and fairly rough. Then when the plaster is dry, take the charcoal, and draw and compose according to the scene or figures which you have to do..."
There is much more of it in this magnificent document.