chiaroscuro

noun

chiar·​oscu·​ro kē-ˌär-ə-ˈskyu̇r-(ˌ)ō 

-ˈsku̇r-

plural chiaroscuros

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

Examples of chiaroscuro in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Varma’s popularity grew at the height of the British Empire in India, as Western-style oil painting, with its emphasis on depth and chiaroscuro, gained prominence in the country. — Noor Anand Chawla, JSTOR Daily, 3 Sep. 2026

Sumptuous staging, by Mary Zimmerman, evokes the brooding chiaroscuro of Artemisia Gentileschi’s paintings, while Didi Romero relishes every commedia dell’arte lazzo as the big-haired Duchessa. — Rhoda Feng, New Yorker, 24 July 2026

At its center shined a stunning Burmese pigeon’s blood ruby of over 6 carats, with reflections evoking Caravaggio’s signature chiaroscuro technique. — Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 11 June 2026

In effect, Wright was the first indigenous artist to introduce chiaroscuro to the oil-painting scene that was expanding in the Britain around him. — Julian Bell, The New York Review of Books, 25 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1686, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for chiaroscuro

• politburo
• bureau
• bureaux