Definition of pointillism
: the theory or practice in art of applying small strokes or dots of color to a surface so that from a distance they blend together
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Recent Examples of pointillism from the Web
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Robert Rauschenberg’s backdrop — an abstraction of Monet’s Impressionist landscapes and Seurat’s pointillism, with contributions made by both Jasper Johns and Mr. Taylor himself — brought an immediate burst of applause.
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What’s behind pointillism is divisionism, the new scientific theories of light and color and ocular perception.
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But don’t go too dotty about this instance of prehistoric pointillism, art experts caution.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pointillism.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of pointillism
French pointillisme, from pointiller to stipple, from point spot, from Old French — more at point
POINTILLISM Defined for English Language Learners
pointillism
playDefinition of pointillism for English Language Learners
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: a style of painting in which a picture is formed from small dots of color
Learn More about pointillism
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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pointillism
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