grisaille

[ gri-zahy, -zeyl; French gree-zah-yuh ]

noun,plural gri·sailles [gri-zahyz, -zeylz; French gree-zah-yuh] /grɪˈzaɪz, -ˈzeɪlz; French griˈzɑ yə/ for 2.
  1. monochromatic painting in shades of gray.

  2. a work of art, as a painting or stained-glass window, executed in grisaille.

Origin of grisaille

1
1840–50; <French: painted in gray monotone, equivalent to gris gray + -aille noun suffix

Words Nearby grisaille

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use grisaille in a sentence

  • In the choirs clearstory are the single figures and grisaille that were in vogue during the next century.

    How France Built Her Cathedrals | Elizabeth Boyle O'Reilly
  • As there is color in them, it is inexact to call such windows grisaille, but the subdued note of grisaille glass predominates.

    How France Built Her Cathedrals | Elizabeth Boyle O'Reilly
  • The opaline loveliness of the choirs clearstory grisaille has drawn from M. Viollet-le-Duc one of his most eloquent pages.

    How France Built Her Cathedrals | Elizabeth Boyle O'Reilly
  • Above and below the canopied figures in the clearstory lights are panels of grisaille.

    How France Built Her Cathedrals | Elizabeth Boyle O'Reilly
  • In Auxerre, the grisaille is found only in the lateral windows which are seen obliquely.

    How France Built Her Cathedrals | Elizabeth Boyle O'Reilly

British Dictionary definitions for grisaille

grisaille

/ (ɡrɪˈzeɪl, French ɡrizɑj) /


noun
  1. a technique of monochrome painting in shades of grey, as in an oil painting or a wall decoration, imitating the effect of relief

  2. a painting, stained glass window, etc, in this manner

Origin of grisaille

1
C19: from French, from gris grey

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012