Art-Jottings In Art-Studios.

combated , or at any rate-materially Aveakened , by the fact of Delaroche haA'ing executed in oil in the Beaux Arts a work pre-eminently , from its size ancl other characteristics , adapted for "fresco "; to say nothing of the method of Avail-decoration in "stereochromic" painting adopted by our British artists of the present day . And UOAV a few words as to tAvo varieties of the art , one of AA'hich is as far inferior to pure " fresco " as the other is said to exceed it in advantages . Firstly" FRESCO SECCO" AA'hich is in extensive use in Italiu ordinary

house-, , y decoration , is merely a spurious kind of "fresco . " By this method the colours , mixed Avith water and laid on the wall-surface after it is dry , adhere in some degree by absorption of the A'ehicle by the plaster . In this mode of treatment the crystalline surface of the plaster , Avhich should haA'e proved the protection of the colour by after formation , having already been produced , has to be removed by the application of pumice . The result is an appearance of dry coarseness—in short

" rottenness , " AA'hich is fatal to the beauty of the pictures . Secondly , " SmfKEOcnitOMic PAErasu ( o-repeos firm , and xp ®/ la colour ) , or " waterglass , " knoAA'n also as Fuchs' " soluble glass "—an invention of the late Dr . J . 11 . Fuchs , Avhich , being passed over the surface of " fresco secco , " imparts great brilliancy , and , fixing the colours , gives them great durability . By " Avater-glass" is ordinarily meant the soluble silicates of potash or soda , or of a

mixture of the IAVO . It is usually prepared by boding silica Avith caustic alkali , under a pressure of 601 bs . to the square inch , in a digester . When pure ancl solid it has the appearance of common glass . It is skwly soluble in boiling Avater . A solution mixed Avith sand , etc ., is used to form artificial stone . It is also spread on the surface of stone to preserve it from decay , AA'hich it effects by sinking in ancl cementing the particles together , thus preventing atmospheric disintegration . It also enters into the composition of certain cements .

Fuchs' form of it is a peculiar silicate prepared by melting together eight parts of carbonate of soda , or ten parts of carbonate of potash , Avith fifteen parts of pure quartz sand and one part of charcoal ; AA'hich last is added to facilitate the decomposition of the alkaline carbonate . A black glass is thus obtained , Avhich is insoluble in cold , but dissolvable in six times its Aveight of boiling water . Professor Ivublmann , of Lille , published in 1857 a method of producing tlie same or

a similar composition for protecting stone ; ancl Mr . Ransome , of IpsAvich , has emploj'ed these compositions not only as a cement for consolidating silicious sand into a hard and durable artificial sandstone , AA'hich is capable of being moulded into various forms before being " fired , " but also as a A'itreous varnish , in AA'hich latter case , applying a coating of a solution of chloride of calcium , he forms a silicate of lime AA'hich is absolutely weatherproof . Wood , too , thus prepared , AA' 111 resist almost indefinitely the action of ' fire .

This latter use is one of the two made by Fuchs , but the other , ancl the one Avith Avhich AVC are UOAV more immediately concerned , is its employment as a varnish , or "fixing , " for "fresco" colours—in short , its employment in " stereochromy . " This form of " fresco " -painting is much used by Kaulbach and other German artists in Berlin ; and the late Prince Consort % vas so much impressed AA'ith the bearing that the discovery Avould haA'e upon mural-decoration that be translated ancl rinted for

p private circulation a German pamphlet describing " the manufacture , properties , ancl application of AA-ater-glass ( soluble alkaline silicate ) , including a process of stefeochromic painting . " Mr . Maclise , R . A ., made use of this invention in the execution of his great picture in the Palace of Westminster of "The Meeting of Wellington and Blacker at Waterloo . "

Whether this st yle is really as durable as it is effective , and whether the modern process will stand the ravages of time as well as those " frescoes" of antiquity that have been spared to us time its-df alone can SIIOAV .