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

Etymology

Origin of chiaroscuro

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

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

If you tried, you could even hum much of it, even though its rhythms and chiaroscuro sonic colors were at least as important to its appeal.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 22, 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 composers could impose instead of incremental change were more abrupt contrasts of loud and soft, like the juxtaposition of light and shade, chiaroscuro, in painting.

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

In about 1726 Nicolas and Vincent Le Sueur in Paris produced some chiaroscuros, and a year later Jackson made his first example.

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

But Mantegna’s cartoons were basically drawings in monochrome, and Andreani’s fine chiaroscuros did not differ appreciably from the usual examples.

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

For Jackson to make these color prints was a logical step, since his work had tended toward the full chromatic range even in the chiaroscuros, which “adumbrated” color.

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

Related Words

• cloudy
• leafy
• shaded
• shadowy