The Marriage of the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa to Beatrice of Burgundy 1751

Giovanni Battista Tiepolo created this fresco of "The Marriage of the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa to Beatrice of Burgundy" using pigments applied to wet plaster. The technique of fresco is particularly interesting when considering labor and its value. Tiepolo would have had to work quickly and efficiently, organizing his time and resources in a carefully-planned sequence of workdays. The smooth, luminous surface of the fresco results from the way the pigments are absorbed into the plaster as it dries. The painting becomes one with the wall, inextricably linked to the architecture it adorns. The entire process depended on skilled artisans preparing the wall, mixing the plaster, and grinding the pigments. These laborers were essential to Tiepolo’s grand vision. The use of fresco in such a large-scale history painting is significant because it elevates the status of the craft while reminding us of the collective effort that goes into such an impressive artwork.