contrapposto

American  

[kohn-truh-pos-toh] / ˌkoʊn trəˈpɒs toʊ /

noun

Fine Arts.

contrappostos plural

1. a representation of the human body in which the forms are organized on a varying or curving axis to provide an asymmetrical balance to the figure.

---

contrapposto British  

/ ˌkɒntrəˈpɒstəʊ /

noun

1. (in the visual arts) a curving or asymmetrical arrangement of the human figure with the shoulders, hips, and legs in different planes

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• contrappostos
  plural

Etymology

Origin of contrapposto

1900–05; < Italian < Latin contrāpositus, past participle of contrāpōnere to place against. See contra ¹, posit

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

contrapposto

This sculpture exhibits the contrapposto stance: one foot forward and the opposite arm raised as if about to shift its weight.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 15, 2022

Von Furstenberg was a vision of glamour, standing in a contrapposto pose worthy of a museum.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 4, 2019

May stands in perfect contrapposto, the vision of a rock guitarist in all his glory.

From Washington Post ● Feb. 20, 2019

We’re probably doing the hip drop, an extreme version of Michelangelo’s David’s contrapposto to lower ourselves a couple of inches.

From The Guardian ● Jun. 2, 2018

Thinking about the contrapposto walk again, he said, he began to want something out of the idea that he hadn’t been able to get in 1968.

From New York Times ● Sep. 8, 2016