A Mural Is Painted On a Wall, Not Hung On One
A mural is a large painting on a wall. What defines it is being part of the wall itself, which is what the Latin name says.
A mural is a large painting applied directly to a wall or ceiling. The Latin *murus* means wall, and that is the whole definition: a mural is part of the structure, not a picture placed against it. A canvas the size of a wall is still a painting, not a mural. In *fresco*, the oldest mural technique, pigment is applied to wet plaster so it becomes chemically part of the wall as it dries.
- A wall painting. *A street mural.*
- Of a wall. *A mural crown.*
- Fresco — painted on wet plaster. *A Renaissance fresco.*
- Muralist — the artist. *A muralist.*
- Latin — *murus*, a wall. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | mural | A large mural. |
| Plural | murals | Two murals. |
| Adjective | mural | Mural decoration. |
| Agent | muralist | A muralist. |
| Latin | murus | A wall. |
- The mural covers the gable end.Street art.
- Fresco bonds pigment into the plaster.Technique.
- Murus means wall in Latin.Etymology.
Mural techniques
- Buon fresco — pigment on wet plaster, permanent as it cures
- Fresco secco — painted on dry plaster, less durable
- Mosaic — set from coloured tiles or glass
- Sgraffito — scratched through one plaster layer to reveal another
- Modern street murals usually use acrylic or spray paint
Latin *muralis*, of a wall, from *murus*, a wall. English used it as an adjective from the 1400s and a noun from the 1900s.
What is the difference between a mural and a fresco?
Fresco is one technique for making a mural, applying pigment to wet plaster so it bonds into the wall.
Is a large canvas a mural?
Strictly no. A mural is applied to the wall itself; a canvas remains a painting however large.