Silhouette facts for kids

A traditional silhouette portrait of the late 18th century

Goethe facing a grave monument, cut paper, 1780

A silhouette is an image in outline only, usually filled in as black on a white background.

The inside of a silhouette is featureless.It differs from an outline. That shows the edge of an object in line form, but a silhouette is a solid shape. Silhouette images may be made in any visual artistic medium. The word was first used to describe pieces of cut paper, which were then stuck to a backing in a contrasting colour, and often framed.

Cutting portraits, generally in profile, from black card became popular in the mid-18th century. They were a cheap alternative to the portrait miniature. Skilled specialist artists could cut a high-quality bust portrait in a matter of minutes. Other artists, especially about 1790, drew an outline on paper, then painted it in, which could also be done quickly.

From its original graphic meaning, the term silhouette has been extended to describe the sight or representation of a person, object or scene that is backlit, and appears dark against a lighter background. Anything that appears this way, for example, a figure standing backlit in a doorway, may be described as "in silhouette".

Images for kids

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  Silhouette of Johannesburg

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  Attic Greek Black-figure Neck Amphora attributed to the Princeton Painter, ca. 550–540 BCE

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  Silhouette of trees against the blue sky.

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  The fashionable silhouette of 1900

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  Computer modelling

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  Paper-cut silhouette on paperboard of enslaved woman Flora.

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  Bill of Sale of the enslaved woman Flora.

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  Human silhouette targets are use for military, police and civilian firearms training.

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  Metallic silhouette, like these of the National Rifle Association are used for target shooting.

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  A traditional silhouette image of Jane Austen, 18th century

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  Beethoven as a boy, finely cut with details of hair and clothing, 18th century

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  A silhouette of the Statue of Liberty in New York. Monuments are often identified by their silhouettes.

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  The Osborne bull advertising sign in Las Cabezas de San Juan, Spain.

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  Rumination

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  Below Bethesda Terrace

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  Relaxing at a Japanese temple

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  Barack and Michelle Obama watching fireworks

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  Walpurgis night

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  Lined up for sunset

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  The Silent

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  Sunset at al Masjid al-Nabawi

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  Still water at dusk

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  Cambodia at sunset

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  Sunset on Lake Constance

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  Silhouette of the Palace of Westminster

See also

In Spanish: Silueta para niños