comparison of fresco and tempera

comparison between true fresco / fresco buno and tempera techniques in painting, with a specific reference to the Ajanta cave paintings.

1. True Fresco Technique:

   • Method: Painting is done on wet plaster with colors mixed with water.
   • Incorporation with Plaster: Colors soak into the wet plaster, becoming permanently incorporated with it as it dries.
   • Limitations: Only pigments that do not react with lime can be used. The artist can only work on the plaster surface that remains wet.
   • Process: Parts untouched by the painter have to be cut away at the end of the day. The surface is replastered and worked on while still damp.

2. Tempera Technique:

   • Method: The whole surface is plastered and allowed to dry. A portion is dampened overnight, and the painter works on this wet surface using the same colors as in true fresco.
   • Incorporation with Plaster: Colors are applied on top of the dry plaster rather than being incorporated into it.
   • Process: More leisurely compared to true fresco. The entire surface doesn't need to be wet during the painting process.

3. Ajanta Paintings:

   • Believed Technique: Authorities such as Havell, Herringham, Percy Brown suggest that the Ajanta paintings are mural paintings in tempera.
   • Evidence for Tempera: Opacity of colors, impermanence of colors (peeling off in spots), and thinness of plaster support the argument for tempera.
   • Plaster Thickness: The plaster thickness at Ajanta caves is mentioned to be as thin as an eggshell in some places, contrary to the thickness required for true fresco.

4. Painting Process at Ajanta:

   • Outline Sketching: Artists at Ajanta first sketched the outline with Indian red and a brush.
   • Modeling: The figure was gradually modeled.
   • Color Application: Colors were then applied, followed by another outline on top.
   • Final Touches: Highest lights, deepest shadows, delicate touches, and details like eyebrows and hair were applied later.

5. Contrast with Fresco Technique:

   • Execution Speed: The described process at Ajanta involves multiple stages and details, which contrasts with the rapid execution characteristic of true fresco.

In summary, differences in technique between true fresco and tempera, using the Ajanta cave paintings as a specific example to support the argument that they are likely executed in tempera rather than true fresco.