The word "vandalism" has pretty bad connotations. When we think of vandalism, we probably think of destruction and effacement of public property, done by teenage delinquents or hooligans. But did you know that the history of the term comes from the 5th century Western Roman Empire?
That's right – not punks or anarchists, but a German tribe known as the Vandals were the first ones to earn the title. As they would pillage, loot, and devastate Rome as they moved across Europe, the name of Vandals took root in the collective memory of civilizations.
The Vandals weren't senseless barbarians, though. Today, we associate their name with the destruction of public property because they sacked Rome in 455. They maintained their own kingdom in North Africa, had a strong warrior culture, polytheistic faith, and traditions.
The term "vandalisme" was first used in France during the Revolution. French Catholic priest Henri Grégoire used the term to describe the destruction of art in his day and age. He chose "vandalism" because the acts reminded him of the destructive nature of the German tribe.
People sometimes vandalize works of art in an act of rebellion. The "Mona Lisa" is a frequent victim of environmental activists in that regard. Just last year, two people sloshed pumpkin soup on the Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece in the Louvre to draw attention to food insecurity in Paris, France.
Vandalizing works of art has been an act of rebellion in the past, too. In 1871 France, painter Gustave Courbet and his group tore down the Colonne Vendôme in Paris as an act of political protest. The column symbolized the rule of Napoleon III and his authoritarian empire. Ironically, officials later ordered Courbet to pay for putting the column back up.
In recent years, vandalism, especially in the form of graffiti, has begun to be associated with art. In 2014, a whopping 69% of Americans said that graffiti could be art, and only 23% were vehemently against it. Still, that doesn't mean that people don't think graffiti is vandalism. Even 43% of respondents from the same survey believed that all graffiti is vandalism.
Banksy is perhaps the most well-known and controversial contemporary artist who gives people a headache when they have to determine whether graffiti is art or vandalism. Technically, Banksy is a vandal, but even the harshest art critics admit his works have significant merit and are not just random graffiti under a bridge.
