chiaroscuro
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chiaroscuro
- /kɪˌɑːɹəˈskʊəɹəʊ/ UK
- /ˌkjɑɹəˈsk(j)ʊɹoʊ/ US
Rhymes with -ʊəɹəʊ, -ʊɹəʊ
Where it comes from
First attested in the mid-17th century, borrowed from Italian chiaroscuro, from chiaro (“clear, bright”) + oscuro (“dark, obscure”).
noun chiaroscuros · chiaroscuri · chiaro-oscuro · claro-obscuro · chiaro-scuro
- An artistic technique developed during the Renaissance, referring to the use of strong contrasts between light and dark in order to create the illusion of volume.
- A monochrome picture made by using several different shades of the same color.
- A woodcut technique in which several woodcut blocks are used to print different shades of a color, or a woodcut print made by this technique.
-
A photographic technique in which one side of the subject, for example a face, is well lit and the other is in shadow.
Similar: Rembrandt lighting
adjective more chiaroscuro · most chiaroscuro · chiaro-oscuro · claro-obscuro · chiaro-scuro
- Possessing the qualities of a work of chiaroscuro. It has been a very chiaroscuro day—lots of sunlight and shadow.
Translations
Every language
noun artistic technique using exaggerated light contrasts
| Español | claroscuro |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 키아로스쿠로 kiaroseukuro, 명암법 myeong'ambeop |
| 日本語 | キアロスクーロ kiarosukūro, 明暗法 meianhō, 陰影法 in'eihō |
| 中文 | 明暗對照法 /明暗对照法 míng'àn duìzhào fǎ |
| Português | chiaroscuro, claro-escuro, fuscalvo |
| Français | clair-obscur |
| Deutsch | Chiaroscuro, Helldunkelmalerei, Clair-obscur |
| Italiano | chiaroscuro |
| Ελληνικά | φωτοσκίαση fotoskíasi, σκιοφωτισμός skiofotismós, κιαροσκούρο kiaroskoúro |
| Română | clarobscur, clar-obscur |
| Русский | кьяроску́ро kʹjaroskúro, светоте́нь svetoténʹ |
| العربية | اَلْجَلْاَء وَاَلْقُتْمَة al-jalaʔ waalqutma |
| עברית | קִיָארוֹסְקוּרוֹ kiyaroskúro |
Talk about this word "chiaroscuro." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/chiaroscuro. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. chiaroscuro. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/chiaroscuro "chiaroscuro." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/chiaroscuro.Cite this
@misc{chiaroscuro_2026,
title = {chiaroscuro},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/chiaroscuro},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
