Silhouette facts for kids

A traditional silhouette portrait from the late 1700s

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe looking at a grave monument, made from cut paper in 1780

A silhouette is a special kind of image. It shows only the outline of something, usually filled in with black on a light background. Think of it like a dark shadow that has a clear shape.

The inside of a silhouette is completely plain, without any details. This is different from an outline, which just shows the edge of an object using a line. A silhouette, however, is a solid, dark shape. You can create silhouette images using many different art materials. The word "silhouette" was first used to describe pictures made from cut paper. These paper shapes were then glued onto a background of a different color, often black paper on white, and then framed.

What is a Silhouette?

A silhouette is a dark shape seen against a lighter background. It shows the outer shape of a person, object, or scene. You can't see any details inside the dark area. This simple, strong shape makes the object easy to recognize.

How Silhouettes Became Popular

Cutting portraits, usually showing someone's side profile, became very popular in the middle of the 18th century. These paper cut-outs were a much cheaper choice than miniature portraits, which were tiny, detailed paintings.

Skilled artists could cut a high-quality portrait of a person's head and shoulders in just a few minutes. Around 1790, some artists also drew an outline on paper and then filled it in with paint. This method was also very quick to do.

Silhouettes in Modern Times

Over time, the word silhouette started to mean more than just cut-paper art. Today, it also describes when a person, object, or scene looks dark because the light is coming from behind them. This is called backlighting.

Anything that appears this way can be described as being "in silhouette." For example, if you see someone standing in a doorway with bright light behind them, they might look like a dark silhouette. Many famous monuments and buildings are also easily recognized by their unique silhouettes.

Images for kids

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  Silhouette of Johannesburg

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  An ancient Greek jar with black figures, made around 550–540 BCE

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  The silhouette of trees against a blue sky.

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  The popular silhouette (shape) of clothing in 1900

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  A computer model showing a 3D shape using silhouettes

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  A paper-cut silhouette of an enslaved woman named Flora

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  The Bill of Sale for the enslaved woman Flora

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  Human silhouette targets are used for training with firearms

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  Metallic silhouette targets, like these from the National Rifle Association, are used for target shooting

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  A traditional silhouette of the writer Jane Austen from the 18th century

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  Ludwig van Beethoven as a boy, a finely cut silhouette from the 18th century

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  A silhouette of the Statue of Liberty in New York City. 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 in Central Park

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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