The origin of the term mural derives from the Latin word murus, meaning »wall« or muralis meaning »of a wall«.1 It defines a painting large at scale, applied to a wall or ceiling – or other equivalent surfaces. The art of mural painting goes way back – it is considered to be the oldest art form performed by humans, leaving its traces all over the world: the Lascaux cave in France can be mentioned as a prominent example. It is believed that already 40,000 years back, the first signs of human creation of this sort started evolving.
The significant aspect of this art form as opposed to street graffiti is its way of bearing and transmitting a certain amount of meaning – not only through its impressive size but as well through its technical realisation. In its variety of scale, style and technique the purpose of murals certainly vary from culture, location and time period.
»Good mural artists will consider their mural in relation to the mural’s natural or architectural setting, allowing the piece to become an aesthetic, social, and most importantly, cultural, artifact.«2
1https://www.etymonline.com/word/mural
2https://www.jonssonsworld.com/A_Brief_History_of_Murals_and_Mural_Painting.html
