Back to all words

Chiaroscuro

2 stages from Italian to English.

Today it means the artistic use of strong contrasts between light and shadow
1
Stage 1 of 2
chiaro
Italian · 1600s
"light and dark"
light, bright, combined with oscuro (dark, obscure)
2
Stage 2 of 2
chiaroscuro
English · 1680s
"the artistic use of strong contrasts between light and dark"
adopted directly for the artistic technique contrasting light and shadow
Drag to pan · scroll to zoom