The word ‘silhouette’ has been used to describe a particular style of art since the early 18th century. The name originates from the French finance minister Étienne de Silhouette, who was known for his sketches of people and animals.
The earliest known use of the word “silhouette” dates back to 1759, when an English travel writer described a portrait he had seen in Turin, Italy. This portrait was believed to be of Étienne de Silhouette and was made using black paper cut-outs.
In the late 1700s and early 1800s, Silhouettes became popular in Europe as a way to create quick portraits without having to paint or draw. They were inexpensive, required little or no skill, and could be done quickly. They were especially popular with women who wanted a quick way to create their own fashion accessories.
In addition to being used for portraiture, Silhouettes were also often used as decorative elements in furniture and wallpaper designs. By the mid-1800s they had become so popular that they began appearing on everything from jewelry boxes to postcards.
At the same time that Silhouettes were gaining popularity as art forms, they also began appearing in literature and poetry. Writers such as Edgar Allen Poe often made use of Silhouettes as symbols of death or loss. In many cases these symbols were meant to evoke feelings of sadness or despair.
Today, Silhouettes are still used by artists and designers to create stylish artworks that can be used for decorative purposes or as symbols in films and books. They are also still used in portraiture and fashion design, although modern technology has allowed for more realistic and detailed works than those created by Étienne de Silhouette centuries ago.
When Was the Word Silhouette First Used? The earliest known use of the word “silhouette” dates back to 1759 when an English travel writer described a portrait he had seen in Turin, Italy which is believed to be originated from Étienne de Silhouette which marked the beginning of this unique art form.
Conclusion: The term ‘silhouette’ has been around since 1759 when it was first mentioned by an English traveler who saw a portrait made out of black paper cut-outs believed to have been created by Étienne de Silhouette himself – marking its origin as an art form which is still popular today!