grisaille

noun

gri·saille | \ gri-ˈzī

, -ˈzāl

Definition of grisaille

: decoration in tones of a single color and especially gray designed to produce a three-dimensional effect

Examples of grisaille in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The tonality is gray, or grisaille, because this is the underpainting, in the old-master technique, that Elizabeth learned at art school. — Dodie Kazanjian, Vogue, "Painter Elizabeth Colomba Is Giving Art’s Hidden Figures Their Close-Up," 10 Oct. 2018 In 1921, Elizabeth Keith, a Scotswoman who was one of the very rare westerners to visit Japanese-occupied Korea, made a woodblock print of the gorge, whose rich greens and blues sharply contrast with the Korean grisailles. — Jason Farago, New York Times, "Review: When a Landscape (and Memory) Is All You Have," 8 Feb. 2018 Sherald uses grisaille — a method of painting in gray monochrome — for her subjects’ skin. — Dushko Petrovich, New York Times, "The New Face of Portrait Painting," 12 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'grisaille.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.