A mural is a picture painted or drawn on a wall or a ceiling. There are several ways to make a mural. Sometimes an artist paints on the wall. Others paint on wet plaster, and when the plaster dries, the painting becomes a part of the wall.
One of the most famous murals in the world is the one on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican in Rome. It was painted by the Italian artist Michaelangelo between 1508 and 1512. These kinds of murals are called frescos which mean ‘fresh’ in Italian. Instead of painting on the ceiling, the great painter first put wet plaster and then painted on the plasters.
At the centre of the ceiling decoration are nine scenes from the book of Genesis of which the creation of Adam is best known. The subject matter of the painting is the doctrine on humanity’s need for salvation as offered by God through Jesus.
Andrea Weerakoon,
Grade 8 S,
St. Bridget’s Convent,
Colombo 7.