Promoting Global Understanding: An In-Depth Study of the Neoclassical Frescos

Abstract

As a future educator, my goal is to present meaningful art lessons that introduce students to international cultures while reflecting on historical art making processes. I have chosen the art that inspired me during two separate studies abroad that I took in Italy to create my thesis project. The results of this study are the groundwork for enhancing my knowledge about fresco technique and applying this knowledge to my future teaching. I will do this by creating my own fresco using historical techniques, writing a literature review regarding the history of frescos, and developing a research-based lesson plan that provides a strategy for teaching fresco techniques to 7th-12th grade students. The primary research questions guiding my study are as follows: What were the significant advances in fresco making throughout history? Which historical method most closely relates to the Neoclassical frescos located at Villa Di Geggiano? How does the historical narrative of Geggiano’s frescos and their survival during World War II connect to the need for continued preservation of this artwork and others like it? How might I learn and thereby teach historic fresco techniques to 7th-12th grade students? My thesis is threefold with specific objectives. First, I have written a literary review on the history of frescos, highlighting important advances in the technical skills and cultural trends in fresco making. Understanding the history of frescos allows us to understand the significance of the frescos located at Villa Di