Mural

Mural

Noun / Adjective · /ˈmjʊə.rəl/

Definition

(Noun) a large painting or work of art executed directly on a wall, ceiling, or other large permanent surface; (Adjective) relating to or resembling a wall; executed on or applied to a wall.

Origin

From Latin muralis (of a wall), from murus (wall). The mural corona (corona muralis) being the ancient Roman military decoration awarded to the first soldier to scale the wall of a besieged city — a crown of gold shaped to represent battlements. The artistic sense of mural — a wall painting — developing from the adjectival meaning. Mural painting being one of the oldest forms of art, with cave paintings at Lascaux and Chauvet representing murals in the broadest sense. The term being used for everything from Sistine Chapel ceiling paintings to Diego Rivera's political frescoes to street art.