Define a bottega and its function during the Renaissance.
A Bottega is a Italian word for a studio or a workshop and/or the assistants in the artists workshop. It was also used to identify an object made within the studio of a master when his assistants/students work on it appears to dominate his own.
Briefly outline the method of fresco secco painting. Illustrate if you wish.
Fresco secco painting was different from fresco painting in one aspect; fresco secco was done on dry plaster instead of wet plaster. A chemical reaction occurred as the plaster dried on the wall surfaces, which held the pigments to the surface. Unfortunately, fresco secco paintings tended to flake off over a period of time. In order to complete the process of fresco secco painting a wall had to be prepared with a undercoating of plaster. After the plaster dried the assistants would copy the composition with a red chalk like earth substance referred to as Sinopia. The paintings were done from the top to the bottom of the wall so if the art dripped it would fall onto unfinished parts of the painting. Assistants would cover one section at a time with a thin coat of plaster over the sinopia. The plaster did not set before
Oil paints could be made translucent by applying it in very thin layers, called glazes. When light strikes a surface built up with glazes it penetrates the lower layers and then is reflected back. This creates the appearance of glowing from within the painting. Throughout the 15th century the desired result in oil and tempera was a smooth surface which betrayed no brushstrokes and to an extent resembled enamel.
4. Gold Leaf - gold leaf was thin layers of actual gold used to enhance the painting (ie. used in halos)
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