The term mural refers to that image that uses a wall or wall as a support for itself. Despite some more formal considerations, the mural has been one of the most widespread supports in the history of art and brick or stone the materials of which supports can be made..
The first antecedents of the mural are found in prehistoric times, for example, the cave paintings that were executed on rock walls in the caves of the Paleolithic era. In those times, the most common was the use of natural pigments with binders such as resin. The painting on walls then predominated during this period and the Roman period, but for example it declined during what was called Gothic time, because the walls were supplanted by stained glass windows, but it returned with force in the Renaissance with the frescoes made by the painter Rafael in the Vatican rooms and the magnificent work of art that Michelangelo Buonarroti made in the Seistine Chapel and that is still admired today by the whole world that passes by, for example.
Among the main characteristics of this type of painting that we can name is that it must always contain a kind of story, that is, actions and situations occur in a mural, which is also commonly known as a still film.
The monumentality of the image and the polyangularity that will be attributed to it and that will allow breaking the flat space of the wall are another of its most salient characteristics.
Except in prehistoric times, which was done, generally, the mural is not painted directly on the wall but on a thin intermediate layer, while the technique par excellence used by the mural is that of the fresco, in this case painting it will be placed on the plaster of the wall still fresh.
On the other hand, although this situation can be found in art closest to this time, the murals do not necessarily have to be painted, but they can be made with mosaic or ceramic, for example.
Joan Miró, Gaudí and Josep Maria Seprt are some examples of murals with mosaics.
