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

In its 10-episode first season, Caped Crusader takes the foundational aspects of the genre — paranoia, conspiracy, and dramatic chiaroscuro visuals — and gives them a spin recognizable to Batman fans but not limiting to newbies. —Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 5 Aug. 2024

Renaissance painting techniques like one-point perspective and chiaroscuro light and dark contrasts, notably things that had been dismissed as passé by many nineteenth-century artists, were reconsidered by the Surrealists. —Allison C. Meier, JSTOR Daily, 19 Sep. 2024

Many exhibit the rich sense of atmosphere, chiaroscuro lighting, and preoccupation with the dark side of human nature that would become so prevalent in the 1940s. —Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 15 Oct. 2024

All of the photos are a fascinating synthesis of Goya’s chiaroscuro, the Pictures Generation’s representational imagery, and Da Corte’s own winking nods to pop culture. —Juliet Izon, Architectural Digest, 24 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1686, in the meaning defined at sense 1