A painting style characterized by bold outlines separating areas of flat, unmodulated color, resembling the compartments in cloisonné enamel work. The technique emphasizes decorative pattern over realistic representation.
From French 'cloison' meaning 'partition' or 'compartment,' referring to the metal strips that separate colored enamels in cloisonné metalwork. The term was applied to painting by critic Édouard Dujardin in 1888 to describe works by Émile Bernard and Paul Gauguin.
Try Another Word