Well-read · Art & music · Borrowed words
Chiaroscuro: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Chiaroscuro noun. A strong contrast of light and dark in a picture, used to give depth and drama.
How to say it
kee-ar-uh-SKOOR-oh/kɪˌɑːrəˈskʊərəʊ/
5 syllables, stressed on the fourth (SKOOR).
Chiaroscuro in a sentence
Caravaggio's chiaroscuro makes his saints look lit by a single candle.
The thriller's moody chiaroscuro keeps half of every face in shadow.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- contrast
- shading
- light and shade
Where chiaroscuro comes from
Italian, from chiaro, clear or bright, and oscuro, dark.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
The thriller's moody _____ keeps half of every face in shadow.
- contrapposto
- juvenilia
- chiaroscuro
Show the answer
chiaroscuro: The thriller's moody chiaroscuro keeps half of every face in shadow.