chiaroscuro

chiar·oscu·ro

noun \-ˈskyu̇r-(ˌ)ō, -ˈsku̇r-\

plural -ros

Definition of CHIAROSCURO

1

: pictorial representation in terms of light and shade without regard to color

2

a : the arrangement or treatment of light and dark parts in a pictorial work of art

b : the interplay or contrast of dissimilar qualities (as of mood or character)

3

: a 16th century woodcut technique involving the use of several blocks to print different tones of the same color; also : a print made by this technique

4

: the interplay of light and shadow on or as if on a surface

5

: the quality of being veiled or partly in shadow

Origin of CHIAROSCURO

Italian, from chiaro clear, light + oscuro obscure, dark

First Known Use: 1686

Other Fine Arts Terms

Gothic, baroque, bas-relief, limn, oeuvre, pastiche, rococo, sfumato

chiaroscuro

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Contrasting effects of light and shade in a work of art. Leonardo da Vinci brought the technique to its full potential, but it is usually associated with such 17th-century artists as Caravaggio and Rembrandt, who used it to outstanding effect. The chiaroscuro woodcut, produced by printing different tones of a colour from separate woodblocks on a single sheet of paper, was first produced in 16th-century Italy.