Definition of chiaroscuro
plural -ros
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
- The artist uses chiaroscuro to create the perception of depth in a two-dimensional work.
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
- a spotlight revealing a chiaroscuro of ridges and craters on a mountainside
5
:the quality of being veiled or partly in shadow
