Sometime back, both Gokul and SPS started a thread on "fresco" of BT, Tanjavur. I feel I can respond now. The word "fresco" is freely used to denote any painting executed on wall, particularly in the Indian English usage. But "fresco" (>Italian- Fresh and cool, Oxford ED) is a technique of mural painting. Mural is the word for wall paintings.
In fresco technique, the pigments are mixed with water/lime water applied over a lime plastered area, when the plaster is wet. On drying, both plaster and the pigment dries together, absorbing carbon-di-oxide of the atmosphere, turning the plaster into calcium carbonate, i.e. limestone. The pigments alone as water dries out- locks inside the crystals of calcite (Lime stone). The pigments become an integral part of the plaster and will not be affected by water or any other weak solvents (except acids).
Opposed to fresco technique is tempera. Here the pigments of mixed with glue or some other resin. This mixture is applied on a very dry surface. The resin/glue on drying will hold the pigments.
Fresco requires a very high skill and planning. The fresco techniques were brought to perfection in the 15th century by the great masters of the Italian Renaissance. Many great artists including Pietro Perugino, Leonardo da Vinci, Fra Bartolomeo, Michelangelo and Raffaello and others.
Tempra is entirely a different technique. In this, the pigments are mixed with a strong glue/resin and applied over a dry plaster. On drying up, the glue/resin holds the pigments together. Therefore, the pigments will form a separate layer when a section of the painting seen under a microscope.
Fresco technique has two variants- buon fresco (good fresco) and fresco secco (dry fresco). The first was described already. In dry fresco, the painting was done on dry plaster with pigments having a glue or casein base in Europe. Fresco offer very little liberty in mixing of pigments. And on application and drying the pigments tend to become light in hue. Therefore, a fresco artist must be highly skilled.
Ajanta murals are undoubtedly done with tempera technique. They excelled in the preparation of pigments. Where do the BT murals stand?
Dr.Paramasivan, who did the first chemical conservation of the paintings, concludes that the paintings are true frescos. He opines that when a fragment of a layer was treated with dilute hydrochloric acid, it was found that the pigment is left in a powdery state. If any glue or resins are used, they would have remained as a flake.
A X-ray diffraction analysis conducted on the fragments of paintings also revealed the presence of calcite even in the outermost layer, proving that the technique used in BT was fresco.
Many scholars have a bit of reservation. They did not want to believe that fresco, so venerated and perfected by the likes of Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo after 15th century, was perfected in hot and humid conditions of South India or for that matter anywhere else in the world.
It is generally felt that the Chola painters, for that matter painter of TN right from Pallava period, perfected the technique of fresco paintings.
As extremely good overview of both kinds of mural paintings.
Question: Has there been any attempt by ASI (as a part of restoration or otherwise) to try to follow the same technique and create something (be it so without perfection) ?
Preserving any painting is a difficult task. Restoring them is even more difficult.
Restoration is the one word we always prefer not to use. Instead we are happy with preservation.
Restoration is an act in which you recreate the original. This means repainting the area that are damaged or lost. Generally restoration is attempted when the same art tradition continues and the technique of the original painter is well known.
In Indian condition, the traditions of Indian paintings are no more living. Other day I was pained to learn that they use Fevicol (instead of vegetal resins) to fix gold foils and other decorative materials in the modern day Tanjavur paintings sold like hot cakes in out art galleries nowadays. This is the condition of our art traditions.
Therefore, we do not attempt any restoration. What we do is:
* Study the paintings and their conditions. * Identify the causes for damage humid conditions, direct sun light, leakage , above all human vandalism etc., * Try to fix the external factors * Study the internal condition of the paintings weak plaster, weak pigment layer, accretions like bat excreta, soot, dust etc., * Fix them using a reversible adhesive mostly Ply Vinyl Acetate dissolved in Toluene. This is most reversible thing as Toluene being an organic solvent will not dissolve the pigments mostly inorganic mineral in Indian tradition like ochre. * Remove the accretions using similar dissolvent. A mechanical but slow and patient job * Very minimal touch ups will be done with modern colour pigments to given an idea of the painting. This is done with good caution and should not be taken as restoration; generally a keen eye will pick up intervention and dismiss it as an conservational measure immediately. For general visitors it will guide them to appreciate the painting more effectively. * A coat of dilute solution of PVA will be applied as a preservative. When applied with rigid hands, this will form a thick coat and sheen will be seen. This preservative coat can be removed mechanically again by Toluene. * OUR TARAKA MANTRA IS = A STICH IN TIME SAVES NINE. EVERY CONSERVATION MEASURE MUST BE REVERSIBLE AND THERE MUST BE LEAST INTERVENTION. *
So Gokul, NO RESTORATION.
But you are at liberty to photograph them and recreate the missing portion using Photoshop software by burning 100 hours of midnight oil.
I would like to know more about the paintings which are being restored around the Pottramarai Kulam in Madurai Meenakshi Kovil. Im sure every body knows that the original paintings were destroyed by the "brilliant" caretakers of the temple who had them completely whitewashed!! Now a painter from Kerala (correct me if im wrong) is restoring or repainting them to thier original glory. The new ones look incredibly beautiful as im sure the originals might have been. I heard it is going to take more than a decade to recreate these paintings. It is being done by one man and a couple of his assistants i think!!! Can one of you please with the details about the paintings and the painter?
i had the opportunity to visit the temple few weeks back in connection with the reorganisation of once informative but now dilapidated Temple Art Museum.
i saw the murals around porramarai kulam. it is going to take very very very very long time to complete them. even the condition of the completed one are less satisfactory.
be that as it may be. the temple still preserves a series of painted wooden panels. they are of about ?100? yeras old. can any one throw light? i gather tey were afixed over the murals around the tank? some of the are retouched recently some are still in their original condition. they need to be preserved immediately as paintings on wood are rare.
we have suggested to the temple authorities. their response is encouraging.
the temple has unique two canvas paintings of 16ft square. They depict the cosmic idea of Sulokam and Bhulokam. Drawn in 1960's, they are the copies of the original murals now badly whitewashed/ damaged. Can any one throw light on the concept? how the original painter got thsi idea? from where he adopted ? etc.,