TERMIUM Plus®

The Government of Canada’s terminology and linguistic data bank.

GRISAILLE [5 records]

Filter results by subject field Alphabetical list of terms

Filter results by subject field

Alphabetical list of terms

Record 1 2022-08-29

English

Subject field(s)
  • General Vocabulary
DEF

The state of having nothing likely to provide cheer, comfort, or interest.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Vocabulaire général
DEF

Caractère terne, atmosphère morne, manque d'éclat ou d'intérêt.

Spanish

Save record 1

Record 2 2001-08-16

English

Subject field(s)
  • Painting (Arts)
DEF

... monochrome painting carried out mostly in shades of grey.

CONT

grisaille ... Such works were often produced in the Renaissance to simulate sculpture, as in Uccello's equestrian portrait of Sir John Hawkswood (Cathedral of Florence). Painters of stained glass frequently used grisaille. In the 17th cent. grisaille was prized for interior decoration.

OBS

The use of the French word can be traced only to 1625, since although grisaille painting was done in preceding centuries, it was not referred to as such. The alternative expression "peinture en camaïeu (gris)" is also documented only more recently. In the 16th century there are occasional references to "dead colour", but this term is no longer used. At the time of its origin, in the medieval period, grisaille painting was simply called "painting in black and white", as is clear, for example, from an entry in the inventories of Jean de France, Duc de Berry, of 1401, 1413 and 1416: 'Item, unes petites heures de Nostre Dame...enluminées de blanc et de noir'. However, this description is not very precise, as grisaille painting was never merely black and white at that time but was always combined with (more or less sparingly used) colours. The term grisaille, as commonly used today, itself only inadequately describes the various modes it subsumes. Their only common feature is the more or less exclusive use of non-coloured pigments, while they diverge technically and aesthetically to an often astonishing extent.

Key term(s)
  • dead colour
  • dead color
  • camaïeu
  • camayeu
  • black and white painting
  • painting in black and white

French

Domaine(s)
  • Peinture (Arts)
DEF

Peinture monochrome en camaïeu gris ou de couleur proche du gris.

CONT

Le terme de grisaille désigne une peinture traitée en monochromie pour imiter le bas-relief à l'aide d'une dégradation entre le noir et le blanc de valeurs grises. Cette monochromie peut être établie également à partir d'une gamme chromatique différente à base de vert, par exemple [...]

OBS

L'appellation [grisaille] est parfois synonyme de «camaïeu» et surtout de «clair-obscur», comme le précise Vasari dans son introduction aux «Trois Arts du dessin» [...] Il faut évoquer enfin l'emploi du terme «grisaille» dans l'art du vitrail, où il désigne soit une expression monochrome, soit une modification de valeur de la même couleur.

Key term(s)
  • camaïeu

Spanish

Save record 2

Record 3 1999-08-18

English

Subject field(s)
  • Stained Glass

French

Domaine(s)
  • Vitrail
DEF

Couleur destinée à peindre sur le verre, [résultant de l'] association d'un oxyde métallique et d'un fondant broyé très fin.

CONT

Les grisailles les plus usitées sont issues de mélanges composés en grande partie d'oxyde de fer (rouge) et d'oxyde de cuivre (noir) [...] La fusion de ces deux parties : grisaille et pièce de verre, s'effectue par cuisson dans un four [...]

Spanish

Save record 3

Record 4 1987-12-14

English

Subject field(s)
  • Jewellery
DEF

A form of enamelling in which the work is covered by a coat of black enamel, the overall effect being monochromatic.

OBS

grisaille is very suitable for the reproduction of engravings and similar fine works.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Joaillerie et bijouterie
DEF

Sorte d'émail peint dans lequel la plaque, au lieu d'être compartimentée en petites cases, est recouverte d'un émail noir.

Spanish

Save record 4

Record 5 1986-03-17

English

Subject field(s)
  • Painting (Arts)
CONT

... Ingres' study en grisaille for his famous full-color Odalisque.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Peinture (Arts)
CONT

Peindre en grisaille.

OBS

Grisaille : Peinture monochrome en camaïeu gris.

Spanish

Save record 5

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