chiaroscuro

American  

[kee-ahr-uh-skyoor-oh] / kiˌɑr əˈskjʊər oʊ /

noun

• chiaroscuros
  plural

1. the distribution of light and shade in a picture.

2. Painting. the use of deep variations in and subtle gradations of light and shade, especially to enhance the delineation of character and for general dramatic effect.

   Rembrandt is a master of chiaroscuro.

3. a woodcut print in which the colors are produced by the use of different blocks with different colors.

4. a sketch in light and shade.

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chiaroscuro British  

/ kɪˌɑːrəˈskʊərəʊ /

noun

1. the artistic distribution of light and dark masses in a picture

2. monochrome painting using light and dark only, as in grisaille

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• chiaroscurism
  noun
• chiaroscurist
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• chiaroscuros
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of chiaroscuro

1680–90; < Italian, equivalent to chiaro bright (< Latin clārus ) + oscuro dark (< Latin obscūrus ). See clear, obscure

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Explanation

Chiaroscuro is an Italian artistic term used to describe the dramatic effect of contrasting areas of light and dark in an artwork, particularly paintings. It comes from the combination of the Italian words for "light" and "dark." Nowadays chiaroscuro applies to a far wider array of dramatic lighting effects, particularly in movies — anything dark and moody with great slashes of shadow, is very chiaroscuro. Film Noir, of all the film genres, is the best example of chiaroscuro. Chiaroscuro remains essentially a technical word, though, and is not often used in everyday conversation — unless you happen to be a film critic of course.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

chiaroscuro chiaroscuros

Smith carefully arranged the chiaroscuro lighting that, with his dark printing, created one of the most reproduced photographs of the 20th century, elegant and deeply moving.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026

Those who appreciate a little chiaroscuro interplay in their trashy TV ensembles might fall for this guy, if only for being a potent, balancing opposition to Rapaport’s windbaggery.

From Salon ● Jan. 15, 2026

Like her day-to-day life, it is a work of chiaroscuro, a portrait of extremes: roses and guns.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 21, 2024

In that chiaroscuro environment, reminiscent of the landscapes and photographs of the Mexican writer Juan Rulfo, Escobedo developed his sensitivity toward images, and the need to find his roots.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 9, 2023

What Corelli did was create a musical version of chiaroscuro by contrasting a big-sounding band of stringed instruments with a small group, switching between the big and the small throughout the piece.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall

Epic entertainment chiaroscuros are often dull and unrealistic, hence the push in recent decades to test and reshape our definition of virtue.

From Salon ● May 26, 2025

Particularly influential were his use of live models, raking light effects and dramatic chiaroscuros, and a strong narrative drive.

From New York Times ● Nov. 9, 2016

Embossing had probably first been used systematically by Elisha Kirkall in 1722-24, and by Arthur Pond in his chiaroscuros, made in 1732-36 in conjunction with George Knapton, after drawings by old masters.

From John Baptist Jackson 18th-Century Master of the Color Woodcut by Jacob Kainen

A few additional subjects were also sponsored by patrons, but most of Jackson’s other chiaroscuros were never published—they were limited to a few proofs.

From John Baptist Jackson 18th-Century Master of the Color Woodcut by Jacob Kainen

Between 1722 and 1724 Elisha Kirkall in London published twelve chiaroscuros after Italian masters.

From John Baptist Jackson 18th-Century Master of the Color Woodcut by Jacob Kainen

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