sinopia
/sɪˈnoʊpiə/
noun
- A reddish-brown or ochre pigment used in art, especially in fresco painting.
- Sinopia was a favorite pigment of ancient Roman wall painters because of its rich, earthy color.
- Restorers discovered layers of sinopia beneath the faded paint of the Renaissance fresco.
- The artist mixed sinopia with water to create the warm undertones of the mural.
- A preparatory drawing or sketch made with this pigment on a wall before painting a fresco.
- Archaeologists uncovered a sinopia of a hunting scene under the plaster of a Pompeian villa.
- The sinopia revealed changes the painter made to the composition before adding the final colors.
- The museum displayed the original sinopia for the chapel ceiling, showing the artist's first ideas.