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Arts & Culture

Chiaroscuro Lighting Techniques in Renaissance Painting

Quick fact

The term 'chiaroscuro' comes from the Italian words 'chiaro' (light) and 'scuro' (dark). Caravaggio's use of extreme chiaroscuro, known as tenebrism, was so dramatic that it created a sensation in the 1600s.

Why this is interesting

Have you ever seen a painting where a face seems to emerge from darkness, glowing with startling realism? That's chiaroscuro, a technique that gave Renaissance art its dramatic power.