Image Essay #10

CHIAROSCURO Chiaroscuro is an important artistic term meaning "light/dark". It implies the deep contrast between light and shadow that gives a sense of drama and tension to a painting. Chiaroscuro helps strengthen the illusion of depth on a two-dimensional surface, and was an important topic among the artists of the Renaissance. The father of chiaroscuro was Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio. Caravaggio brought this technique to a whole new level, creating an atmosphere of extreme tension by his intense contrasts. After Caravaggio, this became an important feature of Baroque art and was emulated in particular in the many "Caravaggio schools" which were born all over Italy.

This painting by Caravaggio is the best example of the usage of chiaroscuro. The main focus is the main in the center. We know this because he has the brightest value, white, on him. The figures around the man are also painted with a “shadow” of light, but none as bright as the man in the middle. The background negative space is shaded with a dark value. This makes a good contrast between the figures and background. When chiaroscuro is used in this painting, it seems as if there is a window on the left hand side, but we know in fact that there is not because of the background and space around the figures,