gesso

American  

[jes-oh] / ˈdʒɛs oʊ /

noun

PLURAL

gessoes

1. gypsum or plaster of Paris prepared with glue for use as a surface for painting.

2. any plasterlike preparation to prepare a surface for painting, gilding, etc.

3. a prepared surface of plaster or plasterlike material for painting, gilding, etc.

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gesso British  

/ ˈdʒɛsəʊ /

noun

1. a white ground of plaster and size, used esp in the Middle Ages and Renaissance to prepare panels or canvas for painting or gilding

2. any white substance, esp plaster of Paris, that forms a ground when mixed with water

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Etymology

Origin of gesso

1590–1600; < Italian < Latin gypsum gypsum

Example Sentences

Each piece in the collection has repetitive organic forms as part of its design and comes in white gesso, natural Douglas fir and ebonized Douglas fir.

From Los Angeles Times

The masks were then covered with a thin layer of gesso and painted gold, believed to be the color of the gods’ flesh and considered an eternal and indestructible hue.

From New York Times

On the surface, the colorful landscapes and portraits he paints on the raw canvas he treats with gesso primer and Japanese bookbinding glue are a joyous experience.

From Los Angeles Times

Strawberry syrup and banana skin preserved in gesso offer bright, sticky-sweet contrast in some shadows.

From Los Angeles Times

Today, painters most often use an acrylic polymer known as gesso, but 200 years ago, artists turned to a motley variety of substances.

From Science Magazine