Allegory of March – Triumph of Minerva and Sign of Aries. Frescos in Palazzo Schifanoia (detail) 1470

This is a section of the fresco Allegory of March – Triumph of Minerva and Sign of Aries, made in Palazzo Schifanoia by Francesco del Cossa. Fresco painting is among the most technically demanding of all art forms. Pigments are applied to wet plaster, becoming chemically bound as it dries. Cossa would have prepared his design meticulously, transferring it to the wall in stages, and then executing it with speed and precision. The luminosity we see in the painting is down to this direct fusion of color with the wall itself. The fresco medium was especially suited to large-scale decorative projects like this. The Palazzo Schifanoia was made for the ruling Este family of Ferrara, and the painting of these frescoes involved the contributions of many hands. It represents a collaboration between artistic vision and skilled labor. The beauty of Allegory of March isn't just in its aesthetic appeal but also in the labor and expertise embedded within its creation. It challenges us to see craft and art as intertwined aspects of creative expression.