Lillia Baudo

Decorative painter

Revealing the beauty within the walls

Lillia revives historic walls with luminous frescoes
She also makes contemporary pieces and street art
Her practice is based on layering texture, colour and light

Lillia Baudo is a French fresco artist who holds the prestigious title of Master of Artisanal Art. A gifted artist since childhood, Lillia obtained a degree in visual art and practised oil painting, pastel and watercolour, before discovering fresco in 2000. She realised that fresco brought together all her favourite elements of applied art, and as such Lillia pursued a diploma in decorative painting at the Jean Sablé School of Art in Versailles and studied with numerous fresco artists. Her career has so far included creations and collaborations at the Jules Verne restaurant in the Eiffel Tower, as well as restorations at the Samaritaine and Notre Dame Cathedral, among others. Lillia is part of a master artisan collective at the Potager du Dauphin, just outside Paris.

Interview

What is the appeal of fresco painting?: Fresco painting dates back to the Middle Ages, when Italian artists sought to decorate the interiors of churches and homes. The magic of fresco is its luminosity. The technique of painting on fresh, wet plaster lends an incomparable luminescence and depth, almost like looking through a window.
What is it like to create art on the walls of such historic spaces?: I feel honoured to let the history and soul of these spaces guide me. The painting must be completed while the plaster is still wet, so I am forced to be fully focused in the moment. The best compliment I have received was that as I worked, I appeared to be gradually revealing something that was already on the wall.
Is such an old artform relevant in today’s world?: I see it as more relevant than ever. In this digital age, fresco offers a texture and solidity that cannot be reproduced in digital artforms. I also see parallels with street art. During Covid, I did a fresco mural alongside graffiti muralists working with spray paint—all of us creating living art in the moment.
Do you train others in the art of fresco?: I offer master classes in fresco, and I teach art classes at Plessis-Robinson Art House. The raw materials are basic: lime, marble powder and natural pigment, and the skill is all in the nuances. Once you start painting, there are no pauses and no do-overs.

Lillia Baudo is a master artisan: she began her career in 2000 and she started teaching in 2000