Fresco making is an ancient art of Shekhawati that dates back to several centuries in India. Different regions had their distinct styles; however none could match the perfection of Shekhawati frescoes. The artists of Shekhawati used their experience to invent new methods of making frescos from locally available material. Today Shekhawati region is noted for its human and artistic enterprise. Nowhere else in the world there is such a profusion of wall paintings, so intricate and finely executed, in hundreds of havelis, temples, cenotaphs, walls and forts as in this region.

In Shekhawati, the fresco painters were called chiteras and belonged to the caste of kumhars or potters. They ware also called chejaras or masons since they worked both as painters and builders.

 In Shekhawati chejaras (mansons) used local material alongwith the principle constituents. The impact of two styles developed according to the working process of painting and medium can be seen in the frescoes here.

Methods of Painting

Two methods were developed for making Frescoes. In the first method the paintings were done on wet surface, which was more stable and known as ‘fresco-buono’. In the second method painting work was done on dry surface of the wall. This method was called ‘Secco’. The paintings done by the first method were comparatively more stable and effective, which did not require any sticking or binding material and remained unfaded as long as the building existed. They were less effected by natural calamities, than paintings by the second method that faded due to heat, rain and other natural calamities with time.              

Fresco-Buono (First Method): The word fresco has originated from the Italian word fresh to indicate the fresh plaster (wet surface) used in the paintings. It is also known as wet-wall paintings, ‘Arayash’, ‘Alagila’ etc. This wet surface method of wall paintings is known as ‘fresco-buono’ (the term is of halian origin). In this method painting is done on wet lime plaster with colours mixed with lime and water. Colours are applied to the wet wall-plaster. Absorption of CO2 form the atmosphere while drying leads to carbonation of the lime rendering the paintings stable and durable – though not to the extent of immunity from ravages of time, nature and vandalism. The colours are absorbed by wet plaster and become a distinguished part of the painting.

Secco(Second Method): The wall paintings on dry surface are called, ‘fresco-secco’ (the term is of Halian origin). This is called tempra method, where tempra colours are used with sticking and binding material. The advantage with this method is that changes in the paintings can be done afterwards also. If there are any cracks and holes on the wall, they should first be filled with plaster so that the paintings do not get spoiled. The wall should be free from moisture to prevent the alkaline effect from spoiling the colours of the paintings. An excess of gypsum in the wall is  also harmful for stability of the colours , in such an event the wall should be plastered again. For binding and sticking material gum, sares, egg, cascein etc. are used.

Basically in Shekhawati wall paintings of both the styles are found where hot and cold colours have been used. In these Havelis pure frescoes are drawn on the lower surfaces and outside wall which are made form the viewpoint of stability while, inside the buildings and on the ceiling the secco method is used.
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