CHIAROSCURO

chiaroscuro

(noun) a monochrome picture made by using several different shades of the same color

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

chiaroscuro (countable and uncountable, plural chiaroscuros or chiaroscuri)

(painting) An artistic technique developed during the Renaissance, referring to the use of exaggerated light contrasts in order to create the illusion of volume.

(painting) A monochrome picture made by using several different shades of the same color.

(arts) The use of blocks of wood of different colors in a woodcut.

(photography) A photographic technique in which one side of, for example, a face is well lit and the other is in shadow.

Synonyms

• (photographic technique): Rembrandt lighting

Coordinate terms

• contrast

Adjective

chiaroscuro (comparative more chiaroscuro, superlative most chiaroscuro)

(figuratively) Possessing the qualities of a work of chiaroscuro.

Source: Wiktionary

Chia`ro*scu"ro, Chi*a"ro-os*cu"ro, n. Etym: [It., clear dark.] (a) The arrangement of light and dark parts in a work of art, such as a drawing or painting, whether in monochrome or in color. (b) The art or practice of so arranging the light and dark parts as to produce a harmonious effect. Cf. Clair-obscur.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition