Chiaroscuro is an artistic technique which uses the effect of light and shadows to soften the edges and provide a more dramatic look to a painting.
It was developed in the Renaissance period in Italy with great artists such as Leonardo Da vinci and Vermeer being some of the earliest known painters to develop it and use it with great precision.
Hence, the style was a mainstay in the Renaissance period and has come to characterize the 'larger than life' feel of many works of art from the Era.
However, chiaroscuro is not limited to painting and was even used in woodcuts.
The Romans built up their empire through conquest or annexation between the 3rd century BC and the 3rd century AD. At its height, the Roman Empire stretched from north-western Europe to the Near East and encompassed all the lands of the Mediterranean.
A fugue is a contraptuntal composition in which a short melody or phrase is introduced by one part taken up by others and developed by interweaving the parts.
