The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-02-05


ing for two weeks, an exhibit Of work
executed in the genuine antique frcsco'
process Of painting was placed on view
at the Friederang Antique Frcsco Studio,
No. 1896 Atlantic Avenue. Brooklyn, to
which the Roman Catholic clergy and
New York received invitations. This pro-
cess was termed "fresco buono" tpure
fresco) by the "od masters" which
means the painting on wet plaster.
The process has been n lost art for
hundreds OF years. but was redlscovered
by Max r. Friedernng, who has revived
the process In, this country. and has al
ready executed some monumental deco
rations In this method OF painting, one
of which is probably the largest single
painting in tho world. Mr.. Friederang
will be remembered as the artist who fur
nished the illustrations OF Richmond's
first horse show for The Times Dispatch.
BY the eminent writer's on art topics this
process has been conceded to be the most
wonderful in the painting art.
1t must he borne In mind that the
genuine antique fresco," or "fresco
buono," Is the process Of painting on
fresh or damp plaster. When the plaster
Is dry the painting is there to stay until
tho plaster on which it is painted Is de-
stroyed. being absolutely impervious to
moisture and not affected by heat, either
of which will destroy any other form of
painting. The secrets Of the process arc
the plaster and the pigments to be used,
as ordinary colors will fade away when
placed on wet plaster.
Process of Painting.
Primarily tho antique yfresco" process
OF painting was purposed for monumental
work its earliest usage being to give
pleasure TO Its patrons during their life
and to hand down to posterity a record
Of the life and times OF its patrons. This
Is shown in the decorated tombs which
have been and are now being brought
to light again after thousands of years.
through the researches of antiauarians
in the Orient Hence. as it would be
manifestly impossible to give an exhibit
of number OF monunentally large deco
rations in the limited space of even an
unusually large present-day studio. the
rcdiscoverer Of this lost art has pre-
pared number of small panels, executed
in the secret process. designed to demon-
strate the effects which are secured by
its use when applied to monumental work.
To secure the desired effects, 1t is
only fair to state that the pigments used
have been handled in different man
ner from that In which they are In mon
fumental work. In the latter the artist
has n freer hand and can use a holder
and stronger brush, work. but though
the softenlng effect OF long perspective
there is no apparent harshness or rug
gedness of lines.
For this exhibit Artist Friederang has
reproduced number Of works OF the
old masters. selecting generally religious
subjects. There are in the exhibit about
twenty-seven panels. embracing: Carlo
Dolci's '"rhumbnail Madonna" also
madonna and child by him: head OF
Titians Madonna, Boticelli's madonna
and child and conventional madonna
and child. by Friederapg. Studies OF
Christ by Titan. Holman. Murillo. Leo
nardo da Ninci. the latter from the
ebrated napkin ChrIsts OF Albrecht
Durcr and Gabriel Max: portraits OF
Michael Angelo, by himself: Leonardo
da vInci, by himself; st. Agnes by An
drco del Sarto's. and his portrait by
himself; Raphael and his teacher Peru-
gino. by the former: Murillo's st. John
MS child; Bendemann's "Posey." a
copy of Atclages IN temple at Thebes.
author unknown; n nativity of Christ.
by Fr;ederang, and Pans School, from
a German print, in poster style or effect.
Points of Superiority.
Four points Of superiority over any
other process of painting are claimed
for the genuine antique fresco." by
Artist Friederang. the rediscoyerer of
It's long lost secrets. They are solldity.
luminosity. freedom from distortions due
TO reflected lights the fact of its being
the only process in which immense mon
.unental decoration Is practical and,
finally, its durability.
Its solidarity is obvious, MS it is paint
ing on firm. fixed base; that is. a wall
or pillar: and it is not difficult to per-
ceive how much more satisfactory this
is over the iiimsy canvas on stretcher
BY reason also of its solid base, the artist
is enabled to work in entire harmony
with the design of the architect. This
would manifestly be impossible with can
vas where curves and angles of architec-
ture obtain.
Its luminosity is one OF it's most Won
derful featurese and it needs no art ex-
pert to note this fact. All that is neces-
sary to prove this beyond any question
or doubt is to place side by side an
antique fresco painting and those painted
In any other process. This can be seen
in ST. Theresa's Church, In Classon Ave-
nue., Brooklyn. where Artist Friedcrang
has large fresco side by side with n
number of decorations in oil, and the
contrast is positively striking. This
luminosity is due to the fact that in the
antique fresco" process the pigments
used form a chemical combination with
plaster. Place an oil painting in a dark
corner and it Is obscured; place genuine
fresco in the same spot. and 1t lights