What Is Chiaroscuro in Film? Definition, Techniques, and Examples

For decades, filmmakers have constantly explored creative lighting and cinematic techniques. Yet some of the best lighting methods, such as chiaroscuro, still have a profound impact on film today. Although chiaroscuro has been popular in cinema for nearly a century, modern films still highly value it. So what exactly is chiaroscuro in film? And how is it used today? Let’s explore some examples of chiaroscuro in movies, from past to present.

Where Did Chiaroscuro Originate?

Chiaroscuro is a film term that sounds technical, but the idea behind it is easy to understand. Put simply, chiaroscuro is the contrast between light and dark. But where did it come from, and how did it develop into such an important artistic movement?

At its core, chiaroscuro encompasses two things: a lighting technique and an artistic movement. But first, let’s formally define chiaroscuro.

What Is Chiaroscuro?

Chiaroscuro is an Italian term used to describe the use of light and shadow in artworks, especially paintings. It originated in the Renaissance art movement and is formed from the Italian words “chiaro” (meaning “clear” or “bright”) and “oscuro” (meaning “obscure” or “dark”). It refers to the dramatic effect created by areas of light and dark contrast in visual works.

In cinematography, the term refers to high-contrast lighting that creates strong light–dark differences in a film. This is especially applicable to black-and-white films, particularly German Expressionist cinema. Later, Hollywood film noir adopted chiaroscuro lighting as a standard stylistic hallmark.

Examples of Chiaroscuro in Film

• The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)

• Nosferatu (1922)

• The Maltese Falcon (1941)

• The Third Man (1949)

• Apocalypse Now (1979)

Exploring Light and Darkness in Renaissance Art

Before analyzing chiaroscuro lighting in film, we need to understand the chiaroscuro art movement of the Renaissance (roughly 1400–1600 CE). If you’re familiar with the Renaissance, you’ll know it was a period of flourishing artistic creation. One of the most important developments was the use of light and shadow in painting.

Caravaggio, Leonardo da Vinci, and Rembrandt are among the most famous painters of the Italian Renaissance, all known for their use of chiaroscuro; but perhaps no one employed the technique more masterfully than Caravaggio.

In his video on Caravaggio, Nerdwriter1 makes an important point: when people first encountered the masterful chiaroscuro in these paintings, they must have felt a shock unlike anything before. Compared with medieval and ancient paintings, the clarity, detail, and color saturation in Caravaggio’s work were unparalleled.

During the Renaissance, artists throughout Europe adopted chiaroscuro. As a result, chiaroscuro is regarded as one of the artistic movements of the Renaissance.

The Return of Chiaroscuro in Film

What is German Expressionist cinema? How do we define this style?

Chiaroscuro remained an important part of visual art after the chiaroscuro art movement, but it did not become widely popular again until the early days of film. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is widely considered the pioneering work of German Expressionist cinema and greatly contributed to the revival of chiaroscuro. In the image below, you’ll notice how the juxtaposition of light and shadow is used to create a surreal effect.

Chiaroscuro in film • The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

In the later period of the German Expressionist movement, directors began using strong chiaroscuro techniques in film noir. Fritz Lang’s M is perhaps the most iconic example of chiaroscuro in German cinema. Look at the visual depth in this still:

Chiaroscuro in film • The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

The still from M may be somewhat overexposed, but it’s obvious that the use of light and shadow is meticulously designed. When filmmakers such as Fritz Lang and cinematographer Karl Freund moved to the United States, they brought their lighting style with them.

During Hollywood’s Golden Age, chiaroscuro remained a crucial part of the cinematic arts. Consider what is often called the greatest film in Hollywood history:

Chiaroscuro in film • The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

Orson Welles’ masterpiece Citizen Kane broke new ground in Hollywood film technique. For that, we must credit Welles and the great cinematographer Gregg Toland. One reason Citizen Kane achieved such lasting success is its bold and adventurous cinematography.

We had seen the interplay of light and shadow before, but never like this. We had seen deep focus cinematography before, but never like this.

Citizen Kane’s visual style is distinctive and lavish, but another film genre of the same period also made extensive use of light and shadow. Hardboiled detective films like John Huston’s The Maltese Falcon applied this moody, dramatic lighting to the criminal underworld.

Although these are clearly not horror films, the lighting suggests the darkness we sometimes find within ourselves.

Chiaroscuro in film • The Maltese Falcon

Chiaroscuro lighting became a defining characteristic of film noir in the 1950s and 1960s and even became a major stylistic trait of New Hollywood cinema.

Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather is famous for its dark lighting, in which characters’ faces are often only half-lit—one of the key elements of chiaroscuro.

Because this technique obscures part of the subject, it is often used to create suspense and is very common in thrillers or horror films. Of course, The Godfather is not a typical thriller or horror film, but it still uses chiaroscuro to build tension. In addition, it greatly enhances the moral ambiguity running through the Corleone family saga—another sign of film noir’s influence.

Again, this lighting approach is clearly an homage to the era of film noir. It is both a tribute to predecessors and an attempt to carry on that cinematic legacy.

What is “film noir”?