{"id":2308,"date":"2015-02-01T20:25:22","date_gmt":"2015-02-01T20:25:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/illustratescience.com\/?post_type=project&p=2308"},"modified":"2024-02-23T06:34:20","modified_gmt":"2024-02-23T06:34:20","slug":"traditional-fresco-secco","status":"publish","type":"project","link":"https:\/\/illustratescience.com\/?project=traditional-fresco-secco","title":{"rendered":"traditional fresco secco"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}” column_structure=”2_3,1_3″][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/illustratescience.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/sitamural.jpg” title_text=”%22Sita%22(detail), by K Anandakuttan” align_tablet=”center” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” admin_label=”Image” _builder_version=”4.16″ animation=”off” sticky=”off” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” always_center_on_mobile=”on” global_colors_info=”{}” align_phone=”center”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/illustratescience.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/earthcolors_scmnh.jpg” title_text=”%22Earth Colors%22 informational museum display by K Anandakuttan ” align_tablet=”center” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” admin_label=”Image” _builder_version=”4.16″ animation=”off” sticky=”off” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” always_center_on_mobile=”on” global_colors_info=”{}” align_phone=”center”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/illustratescience.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/gajendra-moksham-largest-mural-painting.jpg” title_text=”mural %22Gajendra Moksham%22 in Kerala, India; photo: enchantingKerala.org” align_tablet=”center” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” admin_label=”Image” _builder_version=”4.16″ animation=”off” sticky=”off” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” always_center_on_mobile=”on” global_colors_info=”{}” align_phone=”center”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”4.16″ text_font=”||on||” text_text_color=”#993104″ text_font_size=”10″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” global_colors_info=”{}”]IMAGES, FROM TOP: \u00a0“Sita” (detail) by K Anandakuttan; “Earth Colors” by K Anandakuttan, an informational museum display on mineral pigments used in ancient fresco secco murals; “Rajendra Moksham”, Anonymous, a large fresco secco mural in Kerala, India, painted centuries ago(photo: enchantingKerala.org); BELOW: “Cueva de las Manos” in Argentina, an example of ancient fresco secco murals painted found across the globe; Ajanta Caves (detail) a World Heritage Site in Maharashtra, India (photo: ASI); below right: studio view, fresco secco painting in progress: “Green Sea Turtles”, K Anandakuttan .<\/em><\/strong>
\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/illustratescience.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/earthcolors_cuevadelasmanos.jpg” title_text=”Cueva de las manos, Argentina” align_tablet=”center” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” admin_label=”Image” _builder_version=”4.16″ animation=”off” sticky=”off” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” always_center_on_mobile=”on” global_colors_info=”{}” align_phone=”center”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/illustratescience.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/ajanta_img1.jpg” title_text=”Ajanta cave painting (detail), a World Heritage Site in Maharashtra, India; photo: ASI” align_tablet=”center” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” admin_label=”Image” _builder_version=”4.16″ animation=”off” sticky=”off” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” always_center_on_mobile=”on” global_colors_info=”{}” align_phone=”center”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

Traditional Fresco Secco<\/strong><\/p>\n

Anonymous painters of the past used tiny brushes to create flowing, repetitive lines and incredible gradations of color\u2013 learning how increased my appreciation of their work. Now I bond with them when I paint.<\/p>\n

It is important to me that this timeless method not be confused with the more recent Western tradition of\u00a0buon fresco,\u00a0<\/em>in which the lime plaster is painted while wet. The traditional methods of mural painting from ancient cultures around the world have been dubbed\u00a0fresco secco\u00a0<\/em>(a Latin term) by Western scholars.<\/p>\n

I studied under a master muralist in India, C.P. Suresh, disciple of Guruvayoor Krishnankutty Nair. I delved into the materials, methods, and inspirations of this ancient traditional art:<\/p>\n

The frescoes of Kerala are painted on walls of granite or laterite: a first layer of crude plaster is applied, a mixture of sand and lime, then a second smooth layer. These are the ground which support the 40 layers of white lime wash that follow. A mixture of resin and lime was used as a final bonding coat.<\/p>\n

Colors are painstakingly extracted from lamp black, purified laterite earth, and the plant Indigo Ferra, and applied with hand-made brushes of animal hair or pandanus fiber. Each color is applied in a prescribed order, ending with black. Washes of color are carefully built up with a broad wash followed by countless tiny strokes or dots.<\/p>\n

Paintings depict inspirational scenes from the Hindu epics, deities, and later, Christian stories. Descriptive Sanskrit slokas (poems) are their basis.<\/p>\n

NOTES<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

My teacher:\u00a0C.P. Suresh, disciple of\u00a0Guruvayoor Krishnankutty Nair<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Treatises on painting methods and materials are found in the Puranas and Vedas, and include\u00a0Dhyana Slokas, Vishnu-Purana-dharmottara, Vatsyayana,\u00a0<\/b>and\u00a0Silparatna.<\/b><\/em><\/p>\n

Exhibits and publications:<\/strong> M<\/em>y painting “Kuchelavrittam,” based on the Malayalam poem “Kuchelavrittam” by Ramapurathu Warrier (1703-1753), was included in the book\u00a0Murs sacres du Kerala: Peintures murales des temples et palais (French Edition, 1997)\u00a0<\/strong>by Martine Chemana. A series of my studies on paper were featured in a gallery in France (1996).\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Please note that in my current fresco secco work I experiment freely with these methods and materials and explore ecological themes.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/illustratescience.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/photo_me_300sq.jpg” align_tablet=”center” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” admin_label=”Image” _builder_version=”4.16″ animation=”off” sticky=”off” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” always_center_on_mobile=”on” global_colors_info=”{}” align_phone=”center”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/illustratescience.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/studiopic1.jpg” title_text=”K Anandakuttan %22Sleepy Transformation, Monarchs%22″ align_tablet=”center” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” admin_label=”Image” _builder_version=”4.16″ animation=”off” sticky=”off” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” always_center_on_mobile=”on” global_colors_info=”{}” align_phone=”center”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

IMAGES, FROM TOP: \u00a0“Sita” (detail) by K Anandakuttan; “Earth Colors” by K Anandakuttan, an informational museum display on mineral pigments used in ancient fresco secco murals; “Rajendra Moksham”, Anonymous, a large fresco secco mural in Kerala, India, painted centuries ago(photo: enchantingKerala.org); BELOW: “Cueva de las Manos” in Argentina, an example of ancient fresco secco murals […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1598,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"project_category":[283],"project_tag":[],"class_list":["post-2308","project","type-project","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","project_category-fresco"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/illustratescience.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/project\/2308","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/illustratescience.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/project"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/illustratescience.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/project"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/illustratescience.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/illustratescience.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2308"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/illustratescience.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/project\/2308\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2939,"href":"https:\/\/illustratescience.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/project\/2308\/revisions\/2939"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/illustratescience.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1598"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/illustratescience.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2308"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"project_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/illustratescience.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fproject_category&post=2308"},{"taxonomy":"project_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/illustratescience.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fproject_tag&post=2308"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}