chiaroscuro

chiaroscuro

chiaroscuro (Italian: ‘bright-dark’). Term describing the effects of light and shade in a work of art, particularly when they are strongly contrasting. Leonardo was the great pioneer of bold chiaroscuro, but the term is associated above all with 17th-century artists, particularly the Caravaggisti and Rembrandt, whose handling of light and shade is unsurpassed in subtlety and expressiveness, not only in his paintings, but also in his etchings and drawings.

Show all research tools

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

  • MLA
  • Chicago
  • APA

IAN CHILVERS. "chiaroscuro." The Oxford Dictionary of Art. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

IAN CHILVERS. "chiaroscuro." The Oxford Dictionary of Art. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O2-chiaroscuro.html

IAN CHILVERS. "chiaroscuro." The Oxford Dictionary of Art. 2004. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O2-chiaroscuro.html

Learn more about citation styles

chiaroscuro

chi·a·ro·scu·ro / kēˌärəˈsk(y)oŏrō; kēˌarə-/ • n. the treatment of light and shade in drawing and painting. ∎  an effect of contrasted light and shadow created by light falling unevenly or from a particular direction on something: the chiaroscuro of cobbled streets.

Show all research tools

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

  • MLA
  • Chicago
  • APA

"chiaroscuro." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"chiaroscuro." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-chiaroscuro.html

"chiaroscuro." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-chiaroscuro.html

Learn more about citation styles

chiaroscuro

chiaroscuro the treatment of light and shade in drawing and painting; an effect of contrasted light and shadow created by light falling unevenly or from a particular direction on something. Recorded from the mid 17th century, the word comes from Italian, from chiaro ‘clear bright’ (from Latin clarus) + oscuro ‘dark, obscure’ (from Latin obscurus).

Show all research tools

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

  • MLA
  • Chicago
  • APA

ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "chiaroscuro." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "chiaroscuro." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-chiaroscuro.html

ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "chiaroscuro." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-chiaroscuro.html

Learn more about citation styles

chiaroscuro

chiaroscuro (It.: ‘bright–dark’). Term describing the effects of light and shade in a work of art, particularly when they are strongly contrasting. Leonardo was the great pioneer of bold chiaroscuro, but the term is most usually associated with 17th-century artists, particularly the Caravaggisti and Rembrandt.

Show all research tools

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

  • MLA
  • Chicago
  • APA

IAN CHILVERS. "chiaroscuro." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art and Artists. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

IAN CHILVERS. "chiaroscuro." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art and Artists. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O3-chiaroscuro.html

IAN CHILVERS. "chiaroscuro." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art and Artists. 2003. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O3-chiaroscuro.html

Learn more about citation styles

chiaroscuro

chiaroscuro [Ital.,=light and dark], term once applied to an early method of printing woodcuts from several blocks and also to works in black and white or monotone. Today it is used loosely to refer to the distribution of light and dark in painting.

Show all research tools

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

  • MLA
  • Chicago
  • APA

"chiaroscuro." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"chiaroscuro." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-chiarosc.html

"chiaroscuro." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-chiarosc.html

Learn more about citation styles

chiaroscuro

chiaroscuro Term for the opposition of light and dark in painting and drawing. Caravaggio and Rembrandt were masters of the dramatic use of chiaroscuro.

Show all research tools

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

  • MLA
  • Chicago
  • APA

"chiaroscuro." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"chiaroscuro." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-chiaroscuro.html

"chiaroscuro." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-chiaroscuro.html

Learn more about citation styles

chiaroscuro

chiaroscuro †painting in light and shade; disposition of light and shade. XVII. — It., f. chiaro CLEAR + oscuro dark, OBSCURE.

Show all research tools

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

  • MLA
  • Chicago
  • APA

T. F. HOAD. "chiaroscuro." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

T. F. HOAD. "chiaroscuro." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-chiaroscuro.html

T. F. HOAD. "chiaroscuro." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-chiaroscuro.html

Learn more about citation styles

chiaroscuro

chiaroscuroarrow, barrow, farrow, harrow, Jarrow, marrow, narrow, sparrow, taro, tarot, Varro, yarrow •gabbro • Avogadro • Afro • aggro •macro • cilantro • Castro •wheelbarrow •Faro, Kilimanjaro, Pissarro, Pizarro, Tupamaro •Pedro • allegro • hedgerow • velcro •escrow •metro, retro •electro • Jethro •bolero, caballero, dinero, Faeroe, pharaoh, ranchero, sombrero, torero •scarecrow • Ebro •Montenegro, Negro •repro • in vitro • Pyrrho • synchro •windrow • impro • intro • bistro •Babygro • McEnroe •biro, Cairo, giro, gyro, tyro •fibro • micro • maestro •borrow, Corot, morrow, sorrow, tomorrow •cockcrow • cointreau •Moro, Sapporo, Thoreau •Mindoro • Yamoussoukro •Woodrow •burro, burrow, furrow •upthrow •De Niro, hero, Nero, Pierrot, Pinero, Rio de Janeiro, sub-zero, zero •bureau, chiaroscuro, Douro, enduro, euro, Ishiguro, Oruro, Truro •Politburo • guacharo • Diderot •vigoro • Prospero • Cicero • in utero •Devereux • Jivaro • overthrow

Show all research tools

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

  • MLA
  • Chicago
  • APA

"chiaroscuro." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"chiaroscuro." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-chiaroscuro.html

"chiaroscuro." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-chiaroscuro.html

Learn more about citation styles

Free newspaper and magazine articles

Chiaroscuro: art, personalized gifts. (Chicago, Illinois) (Company Profile)
Magazine article from: Gifts &amp; Decorative Accessories; 1/1/1995
X-ray visions: radiography, chiaroscuro, and the fantasy of unsuspicion in...
Magazine article from: Film Criticism; 12/22/2007
CHIAROSCURO GALLERY, 439 CAMINO DEL MONTE SOL, 992-0711.(Pasatiempo)
Newspaper article from: The Santa Fe New Mexican (Santa Fe, NM); 12/24/2004
chiaroscuro images
chiaroscuro. Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain)