Frescoes

/ˈfrɛskoʊz/ noun

Definition

Paintings made by applying pigment to wet plaster on walls or ceilings, which become part of the wall as they dry.

Etymology

From Italian 'fresco' meaning 'fresh,' derived from Latin 'freshus,' referring to the wet plaster that must be painted while still fresh to make the technique work.

Kelly Says

Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling is a fresco, and the paint bonded so thoroughly with the wet plaster that it's lasted over 500 years—it's literally part of the wall's skin!

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