Grisailles

Grisaille

A grisaille is a painting in which only black and white have been used. By mixing the two a variety of nuances are created. The result is a painting 'en grisaille', in shades of grey MonochromeMonochrome means 'one colour'. The term comes from the Greek word 'monochromos', meaning 'of one colour'. The word is also used for works of art (paintings) in which, although more than one colour is used, the number is nevertheless limited.. In the Middle Ages grisailles were painted on the outside panels of altarpieces. The idea was to suggest sculpture. Around 1700 grisailles came into fashion, often specifically painted for the vestibules of the grand houses along Amsterdam's canals. Painters like Gerard Lairesse and Jacob de Wit turned the grisaille into a popular art form. Grisailles acquired the nickname 'witje', after De Wit. In the course of the eighteenth century interest in the grisaille subsided.