For this purpose, a method of wall painting using earth colours and natural bindings- egg and milk, the technique used in cave paintings and the earliest artistic depictions. Ancient fresco art is found all over the world, in every culture, and more comes to light with successive exploration and archaeological finding.
Latterly is is particularly associated with the wall paintings from the Italian renaissance, and famously including Giotto, Leonard da Vinci (The Last Supper), Michelangelo, Pierro della Francesca, Mantegna, Massaccio, Massolino, Lipi–to name but a few.
The colour pigments, all naturally derived and bound are directly applied to wet plaster. This means the artists have to work fast and accurately before the plaster dries–although they can keep it moist to some degree by spraying; the colours set and hold fast to the wall, and fade beautifully…
The colours we see today are very similar to the colours of the time, what is striking is the range, depth and tone that was achieved with just a handful of pigment. The last supper painted by Leonardo da Vinci is a prime example of colour subtlety, even given the level of decay and restoration.
It many ways it would be helpful to return to this idea, to limit our palette and remember how to gain complexity from simplicity….