True fresco paintings such as those found in the excavations of the Vesuvian region are made by an artist working with paint on wet plaster. The artist must work quickly, and without mistakes, as no changes are possible after the image is painted onto the plaster—short of removing the plaster and beginning the process again.

As the plaster dries, the paint bonds to the plaster, and the painted image becomes part of the structure of the plaster wall. The artist completes small segments of the wall in each work session, and over time entire rooms.

The artistic content of a Roman fresco painting can tell us many things. The decoration can serve as an indication of the function of the room, and the relative importance of the room within the house. Wall decorations in public areas of a house also can tell us something of the owner’s social or political aspirations and how he or she would like to be perceived by others