1842.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



171 



RZVIS^VS. 



A Treatise on Fresco, Encaustic, and Tempera Paintinr;. By Eugenic 

 Latula, Mem. Soc. Brit. Art. London : 1842. 



In the artistic movement which has been communicated to architecture, 

 the discussion as to the best mode of decorating the New Houses of Pf.rlia- 

 ment has been one of the main features. Here we find two parties formed — 

 the architects having declared themselves for the introduction of mural deco- 

 ration, and the artists opposing it, or admitting only of oil painting as the 

 proper medium. The architects look upon this subject as not only likely to 

 give a more artistical tendency to their art, hut as promising to elevate art 

 itself. To this are opposed the large body of the artists, who, devoted to 

 portrait, landscape, or conversation subjects, having but a limited view of 

 their own art, and being incapable of estimating that of others, and being 

 above all things ignorant of fresco, reject in the strongest terms either the 

 applicability of this medium, or the utdity — nay, even possibility — of the 

 existence of high art. They know that the intimate acquaintance with the 

 human form, the breadth and grandeur of outline, and the firmness of touch, 

 required for fresco, are qualifications which their previous studies have denied 

 to them; accustomed also to compose on a small scale, they fear the gigantic 

 efforts of historical art. To such an extent does this ignoiance, do these 

 prejudices prevail, that we firmly believe, that did the fate of the decoration 

 of the Houses of Parhament depend on the fiat of the Royal Academy, that 

 by a large majority all idea of it would be rejected. This feeling is to be re- 

 gretted, as it will tend but too strongly to fortify the inclination for German 

 artists, already manifested by some members of the Royal Commission ; for 

 if English artists declare that they cannot execute fresco, the Commissioners 

 will naturally turn to the Bavarians, who are hut too ready to assert their 

 proficiency. Under such circumstances it is to be expected that the most 

 exaggerated and unfounded statements with regard to fresco liave been given 

 out, which are so ably met by Mr. Severn in another part of the Journal, 

 that we do not think it necessary ourselves to refute them. If they think 

 that with so many examples before their eyes in the public buildings of Lon- 

 don, that the Commissioners will ever trust to oil as the vehicle for decora- 

 tion, the artists are most grievously mistaken. Its blackness its varnished, 

 surface, its partial efl'ect, and its perishability, would alone suffice to ensure 

 its rejection, and throw us upon the mercy of the whitewasher, or of the 

 carver and gilder. Fortunately, however, the question does not depend for 

 determination upon the artist : the architect has his vote. Tlie artist on this 

 occasion is only the subordinate ; and mural decoration is a question which 

 has come witliin the attributions of the architect from the earliest period. The 

 architect will, upon turning to Vitrnvius, find the instructions and mechanical 

 details which, the same in principle and practice, prevailed in the classic 

 period and in modern days ; he will find that until the artist commences 

 his work on the wet plaster, the whole matter is exclusively in his hands ; 

 and that even then it is his duty to direct and supervise, to see that the 

 harmony of tlie design is maintained, and that the several parts are corres- 

 pondent to the whole. Fortunately also, the architect is well quahfied to 

 judge between the respective media. He will look to their general effect, 

 to their durability, to their capability of harmonizing with his own labours ; 

 and it becomes no question as to preference between the marmoratum with 

 which fresco is incorporated, or a scaly covering of decomposing oil. If the 

 Houses of Parliament are to be decorated at all, it is evident it must be by 

 fresco or encaustic, or not at all ; and we beg our readers not to be diverted 

 from the right course by any clamour or misrepresentations of the artists, 

 hut to judge for themselves. 



When this question was first agitated, it was the general impression that 

 we must either fall back on the Germans, or commence from the rudiments 

 a new school of our own. The result, however, has been to show that we 

 have many artists already practically versed in fresco ; and many others have 

 since made themselves acquainted with it. .\mong those wlio have practised 

 this art, two are to be distinguished. The first is Mr. Parris, who has long 

 dcTOted himself to it, and whose views on the subject have been communi- 

 cated to the Institute, and pubUshed in our Journal ; and the second is Mr. 

 Latilla, late President of the Society of British Artists, also an old prac- 

 titioner in this country, and student in Italy, and author of the work before 

 us. Among other artists who have publicly given their countenance to fresco, 

 are Mr. Haydon, who has availed himself of the instruction of Mr. Latilla; 

 Mr. Severn of Rome, the friend of Keats the poet, and author of the 

 valuable discourse on mural decoration which we insert in our present 



number ; Mr. Baker, of Bath ; Mr. Bell, of Manchester ; and Mr. Lane ; the 

 latter of whom are all practically acquainted with it. We learn also on Mr. 

 Haydon's authority, that the late Sir David Wilkie was an advocate for 

 fresco, having twenty years ago recommended the former artist to apply 

 himself to it. Those who wish to see some account of the labours of these 

 artists, will, in some of our recent volumes, find descriptions of works both 

 by Mr. Latilla and ilr. Parris. 



The work to which we now wish to direct the attention of our readers, 

 we must warn them beforehand is to be studied llebrewwise — from the end 

 — for Mr. Latilla has unfortunately tacked to it some preliminary chapters, 

 which, not being copious enough to enter into the whole history of the art, 

 come on the ear with all the weariness of common-places. The reader must 

 therefore plunge in meiliis, and he will there find a good description of the 

 practical part of mural decoration, which, although meagre, is sound in its 

 teachings. Mural decoration is of four kinds— fresco, encaustic, tempera, 

 and kalsamine ; to the last of which, although certainly of little importance, 

 we see no allusion in Mr. LatiUa's work. The first consideration in all cases 

 is to be directed to the stuccos, of which there are three layers requisite 

 for fresco. The first process Vitrnvius calls TniUisatio, or rough plaster, and 

 was performed by the Romans with a plaster of 1 part lime, 2 parts rough 

 river sand, and 1 part pounded brick and tile. The second process is named 

 Arenatum, or sand mortar, the Roman composition of which was 1 part 

 lime and 2 parts river sand, of which they used three successive coats, each 

 laid on while the preceding one was damp. Much depends on the .^.renatum 

 being well prepared : if only one layer be used, the plaster will be liable to 

 crack and decay. For the Arenatum, the Itahan fresco workers of the fifteenth 

 century sometimes used pozzolano mixed with Trevertine lime, in the pro- 

 portion of 2 of lime to 1 of pozzolano ; and Mr. Latilla says that he has 

 used with great success good Roman cement and stone lime, which he has 

 found to give a firm basis to work upon, and greater brilliancy to the colours. 

 The third process was called Marmoratum, or marble mortar, being composed 

 of 1 part lime and 2 parts marble dust, of which three thin coats are laid on 

 in different degrees of fineness, the coarsest first. It must be so tempered as 

 in working not to adhere to the trowel, but to leave it clean and free from 

 mortar. There is a difference between this and the Arenatum, for each layer 

 of the Marmoratum should be allowed to dry before the succeeding one is 

 applied. If the layer of Marmoratum should be single only, the plaster will 

 be apt to crack and scale off, and the design will be deficient in brilliancy. 

 The thickness of the several layers of plaster in the Baths of Titus is about 

 au inch and a quarter, but the Italians diminished this thickness in their 

 works, to the serious prejudice of their durabihty ; neither did they pay such 

 attention as the Greeks and Romans to the proper working of the mortars. 



Having for the present dismissed the architect, we have to consider the 

 duties of the artist, to whom Mr. Latilla, as it seems, paradoxically recom- 

 mends to paint in all the ornament first ; but he appears, on reflection, to be 

 in the right, assigning as his reason for this recommendation, that it is easier 

 to harmonize subject to ornament than ornament to subject, the subjects 

 also being intrusted sometimes to different artists, so that the arabesques form 

 an excellent key for the tone and colour of the historical painter. For every 

 part cartoons must be prepared of one or two layers of thick paper, on which 

 the design is sketched with charcoal, and then painted in tempera with 

 colours. This outline is transferred on the walls, usually by tracing the car- 

 toon with an etching point ; but this always leaves furrows on the stucco, 

 and Mr. Latilla recommends in preference pricking out the outline with aa 

 etching needle, and then pouncing it with charcoal powder on the fresco. A 

 portion of the outline being traced or pounced on the wet stucco, the painting 

 begins, which must be executed in sections, as a head or a limb at a time, 

 and each part rapidly, so that the colours may incorporate with the lime : no 

 retouching can be allowed, with due regard to efl'ect. The arabesques having 

 been painted in, Mr. Latilla prescribes that the blank cartoons should be 

 fixed in their respective situations, and then the general design to be sketclied 

 in, as a better judgment can be formed of it when up. Again, when all the 

 cartoons have been drawn, he recommends that they shoidd be affixed in their 

 positions, so that the full effect of the whole may be seen ; a measure which is 

 necessary when several artists are employed, and which shows what alterations 

 and iraprnvements are required to harmonize the whole. The whole work, 

 we say, and the general superintendence of it, should be committed to the 

 architect, who is the party responsible for the entire effect, and who is best 

 aware of what agrees with his design. 



Encaustic, one of the most ancient methods practised by the Greeks, is a 

 particular favourite with Mr. Latilla. Of the ancient practice but little is 

 known, and, we are sorry to say, that of its modern applicability as little. 



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