plein air

¹

[pleyn air, ple ner]

noun

1. the open air, especially the daylight of outdoors.

2. Fine Arts.,  the quality of light and atmosphere out of doors, especially this quality as rendered in painting.

plein-air

²

[pleyn-air, ple-ner]

adjective

1. pertaining to a manner or style of painting developed chiefly in France in the mid-19th century, characterized by the representation of the luminous effects of natural light and atmosphere as contrasted with the artificial light and absence of the sense of air or atmosphere associated with paintings produced in the studio.

2. designating a painting executed out of doors and representing a direct response to the scene or subject in front of the artist.

3. (of a painting) having the qualities of air and natural light.

plein-air

/ ˌpleɪnˈɛərɪst, plɛnɛr, ˌpleɪnˈɛə /

adjective

1. of or in the manner of various French 19th-century schools of painting, esp impressionism, concerned with the observation of light and atmosphere effects outdoors

Other Word Forms

• plein-airism noun
• plein-airist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of plein air¹

1890–95; < French: literally, full air

Origin of plein air²

First recorded in 1890–95; adj. use of plein air

Word History and Origins

Origin of plein air¹

C19: from French phrase en plein air in the open (literally: full) air