Which kind of wall is used in Fresco-Sacco painting?

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 2:
The correct answer is Dry Wall. Fresco-Secco, which is Italian for "fresh on dry," refers to a mural painting method where the pigments are applied to a plaster wall that has been allowed to fully dry. Unlike the superior *Buon Fresco* method, the paint in *Fresco-Secco* does not chemically bond with the plaster. Instead, artists must mix the pigments with a binding agent, such as egg tempera, glue, or oil, to adhere the colour to the wall's surface. This technique was favored because it allowed the artist to work at a more leisurely pace, make corrections easily, and use a wider palette of colours, especially those that would degrade in the highly alkaline environment of wet lime plaster.

The incorrect option is 1:
The Wet Wall is the defining characteristic of *Buon Fresco*, or "true fresco." In this method, the artist must apply the paint, which is simply pigment mixed with water, directly onto a layer of fresh, wet lime plaster (*intonaco*). As the plaster dries, a chemical reaction occurs—the lime carbonate fixes the pigment within the plaster, making the artwork extremely durable and an integral part of the wall itself. Since the question specifically asks about Fresco-Sacco, which is the dry method, the wet wall is an incorrect choice.

The incorrect option is 3:
Canvas is an incorrect option because it refers to a flexible, fabric support, such as linen or cotton, which is typically stretched over a wooden frame and used for easel painting with media like oil or acrylic. Fresco, whether *buon* or *secco*, is fundamentally a mural technique that requires a solid, immovable, plaster-coated wall as its support. Canvas is entirely unsuited for the traditional process and preparation required for any form of fresco painting.

The incorrect option is 4:
Wood is also not the correct substrate for a fresco painting. Although wood has been historically used as a panel support for different kinds of paintings, especially in medieval European art and icon painting, it is not the basis for a wall to be prepared for fresco. The defining element of fresco is the lime plaster applied over a masonry (stone or brick) wall; wood's natural tendency to swell, contract, or warp with humidity makes it an unstable and unsuitable foundation for the plaster layers required by the fresco technique.