Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun The use of many colors in decoration, especially in architecture and sculpture.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun Decoration or execution in many colors; specifically, the practice of coloring more or less completely statues and the exteriors and interiors of buildings.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun (Anc. Art) The art or practice of combining different colors, especially brilliant ones, in an artistic way.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun The
art or practice of combining differentcolors , especiallybrilliant ones, in anartistic way.
Etymologies
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Examples
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More closely connected works explore elevated horizontal structures like that of "Bouquet of Concaves," while further variations—curves and polychromy that both enhances and defies three-dimensional form—are proposed by other, even more intimately related sculptures.
Works of Many Dimensions Karen Wilkin 2011
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Like the Zigs and some of the smaller works at the Whitney, the Tanktotems are painted; their engaging polychromy reminds us that Smith famously strove to combine painting and sculpture into what he called "a new art form" that "would beat either one."
The Artist in All His Dimensions Karen Wilkin 2011
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Some exploit the monochrome elegance of titanium or aluminum, but most explore lush polychromy, somehow evoking the metallic resonance of the harpsichord.
Complementary Abstractionists Karen Wilkin 2011
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They appreciated the soaring towers, pointed arches, the polychromy of brick and stone decoration and the carvings of birds and beasts.
Gothic Renaissance in London Colin Amery 2011
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Can we preserve nuance, detail and polychromy in our accounts of ourselves – as complex selves in a complex society – without being coerced into subscription towards one group identity or another by colour-blind demagogues?
A true democracy demands constant revitalisation of the spirit of openness, generosity and liberality of opinion Tusar N Mohapatra 2008
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Can we preserve nuance, detail and polychromy in our accounts of ourselves – as complex selves in a complex society – without being coerced into subscription towards one group identity or another by colour-blind demagogues?
Archive 2008-01-01 Tusar N Mohapatra 2008
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Found in the grave of a young woman, this elaborate necklace is noteworthy for its sophisticated design and use of polychromy.
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But we've learned by our studies of polychromy that the interplay with architecture and the large ornaments on the pediment of large structures in fact turned them into actors on a kind of stage.
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To his astonishment, Mr. Brinkmann recently discovered that the polychromy of later sculpture used shading, hatching and highlighting to convey plasticity.
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The prime mover behind the show is Vinzenz Brinkmann, 49, a German archaeologist who has spent the past two decades investigating polychromy -- literally, the use of many colors -- in Greek and Roman sculpture.
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