Fresco-secco

Secco painting (also Sekkomalerei, dry painting) of Italian secco ( on dry land ), name for a wall painting - is not applied to the fresh, still wet lime plaster, but to the already dry masonry - as opposed to paint al fresco. In the Middle Ages, especially lime, casein and tempera paints were using, and later oil and silicate paints. Lime and casein paints require no pretreatment of the plaster, as is required by other techniques. In German-speaking colloquially often referred to all murals as frescoes, without reference to the method of manufacture. In the Romanesque period was worked most frequently in this technique.

Secco paintings are unlike the painted on wet plaster frescoes less durable because they do not connect to a very large degree with the ground. A famous example of a badly damaged secco painting Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper.

Impressive examples of secco paintings in the German-speaking countries can be found in the Protestant town church Zierenberg in Hesse, were restored exemplary in the numerous secco paintings, and at St. Mary's Church located in southern Brandenburg in Herzberg / Elster, in the secco paintings from the 15th century were obtained. Even in the old fortified church of Bad Steben are secco paintings.

Secco paintings are also found outside of Europe, can be found in Asia, for example, Tibetan Buddhist murals.