From prehistoric paintings through medieval destructive elements to modern street art

Graffiti is often said to have first appeared on the streets of large cities during the 1970s and 1980s, and to have spread rapidly around the world. But that’s not entirely accurate, or at least not the whole truth. Graffiti is as old as humanity itself – the oldest record of drawing in the Czech Republic comes from Kateřinská Cave in the Moravian Karst and is estimated to be approximately seven thousand years old. Modern graffiti and street art represent a fascinating artistic style, and if they are created artistically, with passion and in appropriate places, we do not have to consider them vandalism at all. Visit the most famous and beautiful painted walls, mural art and street art in our country with Kudy z nudy! You may be surprised how street art can open the door to art and inspiration, revitalise boring places in cities and empty walls of houses, and provide an interesting space for sharing ideas, feelings and stories.

Interesting facts about graffiti and its creators

• The term graffiti is sometimes confused with the term sgraffito. Both come from the Italian words graffiare (to scratch, dig, claw), graffiato (scratched) and graffio (scratch).
• Sgraffito is an artistic technique that creates a striking contrast between lighter and darker surfaces. This technique involves scraping white lime paint off plaster.
• Graffiti is strongly influenced by the place and culture in which it is created. There are several main styles, such as tags (signatures), throw-ups (simple, quick paintings), pieces (more complex and detailed works) and muralism (large-format paintings). Graffiti artists use a variety of techniques, from spraying to stencils to brushes or markers.
• Many cities are trying to legally incorporate graffiti into their public spaces, often through special zones designated for sprayers, revitalisation of neglected neighbourhoods or street art festivals.
• High-quality graffiti can create a unique genius loci. Many companies have taken this into account and commission graffiti artists to decorate the facades of their buildings.
• Popular graffiti styles and street art also appear on the designs of various products, such as backpacks, T-shirts, and other items.
• Some people see graffiti as a form of art and freedom of expression, while others consider it vandalism and pollution of public space. Unfortunately, many less skilled graffiti artists only leave incomprehensible tags and damage listed buildings. The illegal nature of this activity adds a touch of adventure to graffiti.

The oldest graffiti in the world

Graffiti did not actually appear in New York a few decades ago: it has its origins in prehistoric cave paintings. Such artistic creations can be found all over the world, whether you visit the several thousand-year-old rock paintings on the North Shore in Sydney, Australia, the Turkish city of Aphrodisias, where images of gladiatorial combat were discovered in an ancient stadium, or even Egypt or Pompeii. The inscriptions drawn and carved on the walls of local houses were not very different from today’s trends. Among them you will find signatures and initials (i.e. tags in the sense of “I was here”), insults, declarations of love and mocking verses.

Graffiti where you least expect it

Historical signatures of old visitors can be found in many castles and chateaux. For example, at Litomyšl Castle, in addition to unique sgraffito decorations, you can find a drawing of a pig with a curled tail and the year 1797. At Prostějov Castle, a drawing was discovered that probably depicts the former castle. Furthermore, inside Kunětická hora Castle, there is a drawing of a castle building, which was probably created in the 16th century, and historians believe that it depicts the castle in Pardubice, which is visible from the window. Another legendary find is a medieval verse engraved in the interiors of Pernštejn Castle, which reads something like “whoever shat this shit, I say they should eat it too”. You can also find period signatures in the Chapel of the Holy Sepulchre in Mikulov, dating from 1544.

The fact that the Na Špičáku cave in the Jeseníky Mountains has been known since at least the 15th century is evidenced by a number of epigraphic records, inscriptions and paintings on the walls of its underground spaces. The religious motifs of the Adoration of the Crucifix (this painting is located in the central part of the cave) and the depictions of the Sun, Cross and Crescent Moon, as well as the drawing of crossed swords, probably date back to the 15th century. The oldest date found carved in the cave is 1519, but unfortunately most of the graffiti is located in inaccessible parts of the underground.

Graffiti in churches and chapels

The dominant feature of the town of Louny is the Gothic Church of St. Nicholas. This three-nave church is famous not only for the talent of the royal architect Benedikt Rejt, but also for the unusual amount of historical graffiti carved or drawn on its walls by visitors, passers-by or the builders themselves. The inscriptions, which we now consider vandalism (and which were vandalism 500 years ago), add an interesting historical context to the common artistic inscriptions on bells, baptismal fonts, and tombstones found in every church. St. Nicholas Church stands out for its large number of preserved spontaneous inscriptions, as confirmed by Jan Mávr, who studies epigraphy, specifically historical graffiti, in his spare time and began researching the graffiti in the Louny church for his thesis. His work later became a publication entitled Three Centuries of Epigraphy in St. Nicholas Church in Louny.

Inscriptions made with clay or carved into the plaster can be found, for example, on portals, door frames, metal washbasins, and not only on pillars, but also on the ceiling of the spiral staircase leading to the choir loft and further to the attic. Other graffiti is visible directly from the street on the supporting pillars, which are about three to four metres above ground level. Despite being exposed to the weather and other influences for almost half a millennium, they are still legible to a certain extent.