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The history of
Venetian Polished plaster
Many people we speak with today
have never heard of Venetian plaster, polished plaster, marmorino,
or stucco and seem to have the idea that these are a new
invention.
Many of the earliest Venetian
plasters contained goats milk and even blood in the ingredients
with a lime stone base and marble powder and chippings..
Venetian stuccowork
origins date back thousands of years. Architectural plasters were
used in the eastern areas of Iran and thereon spread through
Mesopotamia.(referring
to the region now known as modern Iraq, parts of eastern Syria,
Kuwait, southeastern Turkey, and southwest Iran).
Excavations on Malta island in the Tarxien complex unveiled the
remains of plasters and decor coming from a period dated from 3000
B.C.
As the Venetian stucco spread from east to west it
collected the cultures and designs of the peoples including
colours through pigments.
Eventually
spreading through southern Europe, notably ancient Rome and
Greece.
Since
around 900 BC it was used by ancient Egyptians in architectural
spaces, it was a product known for its durability and anti
mold-mildew properties
Though plaster was
originarly used for utilitarian purposes replacing common baked
clay, historical and archaeological evidence has shown
plaster grouted with lime replaced the traditional bitumen
adhesive used with common baked clay.
Venetian plaster techniques were
rediscovered by the famous Italian Architect Andrea Palladio
during the 16th century.
His influence of the now famous Palladian
style of neo-classical houses and villas
His facades and exteriors have gained great respect, combining
classical lines with Renaissance simplicity, but much of his skill
lay in interior planning, which produced buildings which not only
please the eye, but also allow the owners to use the space very
effectively, and with great concern for anti mold-mildew
architecture in sea level Venice.
The career of Andrea Palladio as an
architect has been marked through history. The art of traditional
stucco plastering spread throughout Italy and the entire region of
Europe in the 17th century.
Andrea
Palladio was born November 30, 1508, in Padua, Italy. His
original name of Andrea di Pietro dalla Gondola, was changed to
Palladio when, he was in his late 20s, he began to study under the
Italian poet Giangiorgio Trissino, Under Trissino, Palladio
visited Rome, and studied the antiquities there, studying the
works of the Roman architect Vitruvius.
Inigo
Jones,
Christopher Wren and other British Architects who pioneered
Georgian style of architecture were influenced by Palladio.
He worked his way through the ranks designing homes for wealthy
merchants of Venice until he was commissioned by the rulers of
Venice to complete the Benedictine monastery of San Giorgio
Maggiore in 1560.
In
1554 Palladio wrote and had published his first book, the
Antiquities of Rome, which became the prime reference work until
well into the 18th century.
In 1570, he published Quattro Libri dell'Architettura which
translates as “The Four Books of Architecture”, 1571. This
was, and will remain his great contribution to modern
architectural literature. Its still in print to this day and has
become one of the classic texts for architects around the world.
Andrea Palladio died in Vicenza in 1580
The Venetians utilised the Stucco
internally and externally and even today Veneciano stucco can
still be appreciated in Venice.
so we have so many names and labels
for the finishes.
Polished plaster, Stucco, Spatulato, Venetian plaster, marble
plaster and Italian plaster etc
but they are always a great finish with a
great history.
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