chiaroscuro

Where does the word "chiaroscuro" come from? It comes from Italian chiaro, and was adopted directly into English (1680s).

Chiaroscuro’s story begins in Italian: chiaro meant “light and dark.” Light, bright, combined with oscuro (dark, obscure). It reached English by 1680s as chiaroscuro. Italian 'light-dark'; Caravaggio's dramatic shadows made the technique famous. Today, chiaroscuro means the artistic use of strong contrasts between light and shadow.

1. Stage 1 · Italian · 1600s chiaro "light and dark", light, bright, combined with oscuro (dark, obscure).
2. Stage 2 · English · 1680s chiaroscuro "the artistic use of strong contrasts between light and dark", Italian 'light-dark'; Caravaggio's dramatic shadows made the technique famous.