limner
/'limnə/
Definition
- Noun:
- A painter or drawer of portraits: A limner is an artist who specializes in creating portraits, often in a detailed or miniature style. Historically, the term was used for painters, especially those who worked before the widespread use of photography.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The wealthy family hired a limner to capture their likeness for posterity.
- In the 18th century, a traveling limner would often paint portraits of local dignitaries.
Advanced Usage
- The term "limner" is now considered archaic or historical. In modern contexts, words like "portrait painter" or "portraitist" are more common.
- It can sometimes refer specifically to painters of miniature portraits or to early American folk artists.
Variants and Related Words
- To limn (verb, archaic): To paint or draw; to depict or portray in painting or words.
- The author sought to limn a vivid picture of rural life in her novel.
- Limning (noun, archaic): The act or art of painting or drawing, especially portraits.
Synonyms
- Portraitist: An artist who paints portraits.
- Miniaturist: A painter of miniature portraits.
- Painter: A general term for an artist who paints pictures.
Notes on Meaning
- While the core meaning is a painter of portraits, the historical context is important. Limners were often itinerant artists or craftsmen who painted signs and decorations in addition to portraits, especially in colonial America.
Noun
-
a painter or drawer of portraits
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