sfumato
noun
sfu·ma·to
| \ sfü-ˈmä-(ˌ)tō
\
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Definition of sfumato
: the definition of form in painting without abrupt outline by the blending of one tone into another
Examples of sfumato in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
That’s because the artist’s famed sfumato technique—a blurring of outlines—gives the painting an ethereal quality that is exceedingly hard to mimic on a sentient face. — Claudia Kalb, National Geographic, "See where Leonardo da Vinci still walks the streets," 6 June 2019 Resounding and joyful, the rich complexity of its sound evokes the luminescence of Leonardo’s paintings—a musical sfumato with soft edges and lingering tones. — Claudia Kalb, National Geographic, "Why Leonardo da Vinci’s brilliance endures, 500 years after his death," 12 June 2019 But Leonardo’s ability to blur the line between reality and imagination, just like his sfumato technique for blurring the lines of a painting, was a key to his creativity. — Walter Isaacson, WSJ, "The Lessons of Leonardo: How to Be a Creative Genius," 29 Sep. 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sfumato.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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