Aramato 1487

Donato Bramante, best known as an architect, made this fresco, Aramato, with pigments applied to fresh plaster. Look closely and you will see the artist has created the fresco using traditional materials and Renaissance techniques, requiring skill and precision. The artist had to know how to manage the timing of applying pigments to wet plaster, and how to control the color and tone. Bramante has expertly used fresco to mimic the texture of stone, giving the figure a sense of depth and presence. The traditional materials and processes place this work within the context of craft and fine arts. In Renaissance Italy, artistic skill was highly valued, and artists like Bramante would have been seen as skilled artisans and intellectuals. Paying close attention to the materials and methods helps us appreciate the social and historical importance of this fresco.