The History & Magic of Murals

Murals instantly transform a space. They take you beyond the walls and into a landscape that visually moves you to far away places. That is the power of a mural!

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A Mural is described as “any piece of artwork painted directly on a wall, ceiling or other large permanent surface”. Murals have been around for centuries and were first noted in cave paintings in France. They have survived Egyptian Tombs, Minoan Palaces of the middle ages and Pompeii. Of course Italy was extremely influential as large religious Fresco’s were painted on the walls of churches which replaced tapestries. One of the most famous murals painted was the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican by Michelangelo, a Renaissance artist.

At first, only the churches and  wealthy patronages such as royal Kings and Queens  could afford to have murals painted in their castles. As murals proliferated so did the rise of secular painting themes in and outside of buildings. These  Italian paintings often featured scenes of every day life as well as scrolling decorative leaves, animals, birds, musical instrument’s and fruit.

Murals brought art into the public sphere and were often used for political and social agendas.  For centuries, murals were painted in public arenas where political statements could be made  by the government or by its people.  As murals spread across Europe and Asia they began to take on different stories depending on the country of origin.  Chinese murals started to appear on paper as early as the 15th century in China. These Asian murals were different from the Italian Frescoes as the images reflected birds, foliage, butterflies, insects, animals and grasses.

At first, Chinese murals covered the walls of temples and private homes but as they developed they started to be painted on silk and canvas panels. This was important as they could then be transported to different countries. The fascination of Chinese murals spread across Europe. Oriental style papers became extremely popular during the late 17th century.  At the time, England grew a passion for these murals which was enhanced because of the increased trade with China. The export of tea from China had a huge impact on England, Europe and America. Tea production had such an influence that even the subject matter of these murals displayed farming, planting, harvesting and the trading of tea.

There is a story of Lady Herdford in England, who once received a mural as a gift from an admirer, the Prince of Wales. Legend has it that she hung the mural but to cover up the imperfections and bare spots, she cut out pictures of Audubon birds and butterflies to fill the empty spaces. As the Chinese murals were all hand painted, often areas in the design were missing, so one would have to fill in where necessary.  Royalty often had an affect on trends and this influenced the popularity of murals  for home decoration during that time period. The same style of hand painted murals continues today and are frequently used by interior designers, like David Kaiho. Here we see a classic Chinese mural used in a master bedroom.

By the late 1800’s, hand painted murals began to wane in popularity and were being replaced with wood block printed murals. Paris and England had a big influence on these block printed scenic murals. With Paris being influential in design, companies like Zuber Cie began making exotic murals with images of far away countries like India and Asia. People dreamed of traveling afar to these foreign lands. Many murals consisted of  hunting expeditions, oriental motifs and Asian temples, pastoral countrysides, battles and  sailing ships at sea.

England really influenced America when it came to wall decor but as it moved into the 19th and 2oth century, American murals often depicted political and social paintings of their own homeland.  Many famous murals are painted in New York and in Philadelphia, such as the Lincoln Legacy Mural by Josh Sarantitis .

During the 1980’s, Murals and ilusionary wall painting experienced a renaissance revival. Faux architectural scenes and natural scenic views became highly popular which promoted smaller vignettes in homes of Tromp L’oeil painting. These scenic visions of columns and gardens often contributed to making a space feel bigger or a room appear taller.  Today, murals aren’t just used on walls but also on ceilings. They draw the eye up visually which usually makes a room appear taller and  more spacious.

Murals for interior design today express individuality and exclusivity for owners. They can be very elaborate or extremely simple depending on the image and budget.

Today, private commissions prevail for dining, bedroom, foyer and childrens rooms.  Interior designer  Bunny Williams used a classic tree scenic mural for this elegant traditional dining room. Murals tell a story, making each space unique.

One of the latest trends, inspired from Britain, is to create a feature wall in an interior, often popular in homes but also in commercial spaces. The feature wall  when covered in a mural can become the focal point of a room or act as a backdrop. Many murals are custom digitally printed but you can still buy hand painted Chinese murals on paper which are frequently  used by interior designers.  You don’t have to be a traditionalist to enhance a room with a  mural. Many tree scapes as I call them, are popular  today. These tree murals are a simplified modern twist on nature yet have an earthy quality to them even though they are often used in modern decors.

They often make a space feel larger visually and often transport the voyeur to another place. The unique thing about murals is that they are very personal and make a dramatic impact in a room no matter what your design style.

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