Chiaroscuros

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A term used to describe the strong contrasts between light and dark in art, particularly in painting
2. It also refers to the variation of tone and shadow that creates depth and volume
3. In a broader sense, it can denote the interplay of opposing elements, such as light and shadow, in visual composition

Etymology: "Chiaroscuros" is simply the plural of "chiaroscuro," so its history is the history of that single term. It was borrowed into English in the mid-17th century from Italian, where "chiaroscuro" joins "chiaro," meaning "clear" or "bright," with "oscuro," meaning "dark" or "obscure." Put together, the word names the contrast between light and dark itself. The term's first home was the visual arts, where it described the handling of light and shade in painting and drawing. Its extended sense, the variation of tone and shadow that gives a picture depth and volume, grows naturally from that artistic use. Because the plural form is rarely needed, "chiaroscuros" usually appears when writers want to discuss several such effects or several works built on them.