Here one finds a history of this art form.
The mural form can be traced back to cave art first and then to the walls of ancient roman villas in Pompei and Paestum. In many ways murals have existed as long as people have been making art.
The high art of the European renaissance was ripe with lots of frescoes which were the predecessors of modern mural forms found in the Western world. Throughout the world, temples and other holy places as well as secular dwellings have had designs placed on walls, ceilings, and other surfaces.
In the modern world the mural took on political significance starting with the October Russian revolution and later finding its way onto walls in official state buildings in the U.S. during the 1930’s WPA program.
Our neighbors to the south, Mexico, have a rich history of mural art which takes its roots from the Spanish occupation and the native peoples of Mexico.
Later, murals would become vehicles for political expression in inner city neighborhoods. The 1960’s civil rights era spawned many political organizations and they, in turn, were dedicated in mural art forms.
The 1970’s was the heyday of mural art here in the cities of the United States. Many sites in cities are represented with works ranging from interiors to exteriors. The mural continues into the present as a powerful format for expression and communication.
Follow these links for a historical tour of the mural form:
What Is the History of Mural Art?