painterly
adjective
paint·er·ly
ˈpān-tər-lē 
2
: suggestive or characteristic of a painting or of the art of painting
painterly photography
especially
: marked by an openness of form which is not linear and in which sharp outlines are lacking
painterly brushwork
painterliness
noun
Examples of painterly in a Sentence
He has a painterly eye.
a painterly picture of the sea
Recent Examples on the Web
Sometimes pretentious, sometimes playful, the show rejoices in making almost every shot into a painterly wonder.
—
Lili Loofbourow, Washington Post, 4 Apr. 2024
But her gardens, with their sinuous terracing, painterly layers of color and texture and plantings that rise to meet — or, at times, recreate — the forest, demand to be seen.
—Michael Snyder Pedro Kok, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2024
Dior creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri created the modern version, updating the silhouette while paying tribute to the original’s painterly embroidery.
—Laurie Brookins, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Mar. 2024
The painterly beauty in every frame is extraordinary, while the storytelling is enriched by the elegiac tone of a man looking back on an eventful life.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Mar. 2024
Photo: Shutterstock Most Popular When a couple (Mulligan and Jason Clarke) relocate to rural Mississippi during the World War II in Dee Rees’s painterly period piece, their precarious existence intersects with that of a Black family who is also struggling.
—Radhika Seth, Vogue, 3 Mar. 2024
Exploring the painterly nuances of AI photorealism, Danielle King will release Lex Deux Amis, the first work in what promises to be yet another standout series by the artist.
—Ana María Caballero, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024
Before addressing painterly issues, the objects’ architecture needed to be fixed.
—Christopher Knight, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Jan. 2024
Like Scorsese, these creatives turn to Prieto because of his painterly approach to composing shots, as well as his unflappability.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 22 Feb. 2024
Lili Loofbourow, Washington Post, 4 Apr. 2024
But her gardens, with their sinuous terracing, painterly layers of color and texture and plantings that rise to meet — or, at times, recreate — the forest, demand to be seen.
—Michael Snyder Pedro Kok, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2024
Dior creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri created the modern version, updating the silhouette while paying tribute to the original’s painterly embroidery.
—Laurie Brookins, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Mar. 2024
The painterly beauty in every frame is extraordinary, while the storytelling is enriched by the elegiac tone of a man looking back on an eventful life.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Mar. 2024
Photo: Shutterstock Most Popular When a couple (Mulligan and Jason Clarke) relocate to rural Mississippi during the World War II in Dee Rees’s painterly period piece, their precarious existence intersects with that of a Black family who is also struggling.
—Radhika Seth, Vogue, 3 Mar. 2024
Exploring the painterly nuances of AI photorealism, Danielle King will release Lex Deux Amis, the first work in what promises to be yet another standout series by the artist.
—Ana María Caballero, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024
Before addressing painterly issues, the objects’ architecture needed to be fixed.
—Christopher Knight, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Jan. 2024
Like Scorsese, these creatives turn to Prieto because of his painterly approach to composing shots, as well as his unflappability.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 22 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'painterly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near painterly
Cite this Entry
“Painterly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/painterly. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
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