Plural of 'gesso,' a white or colored primer or plaster-like substance applied to canvas, wood, or other surfaces to prepare them for painting.
From Italian 'gesso' (chalk or plaster), which comes from Latin 'gypsum,' the mineral used to make plaster; the word entered English through Renaissance art traditions.
Renaissance artists discovered that gesso creates a smooth, absorbent surface that makes paint adhere better and last longer—this simple invention revolutionized durability in art.
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