fresco

Everyday

1. A fresco is a painting made on a wall or ceiling while the plaster is still wet, so the colours become part of the wall. tree →
2. Fresco is the method of painting this way. tree →

In the lessons

In art and history lessons, famous frescoes include Michelangelo's paintings on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome and ancient frescoes in Pompeii and Minoan Crete. Many church walls in Europe have frescoes of Bible stories. Phrases: «paint in fresco», «a ceiling fresco».

Examples

• Michelangelo painted the frescoes in the Sistine Chapel. tree →
• The church walls are covered in old frescoes. tree →
• Frescoes in Pompeii show scenes of Roman life. tree →
• The artist had to work fast before the plaster dried. tree →
• We made a pretend fresco with plaster in art class. tree →
• The fresco showed angels and saints. tree →

Note

From Italian «fresco» = fresh (wet plaster). Plural: frescoes or frescos. Say «FRESS-koh». Not to be confused with «al fresco» (eating outdoors).