Definition

1. Noun:
   • A drawing technique: A method of drawing on specially prepared paper or parchment using a thin, sharp stylus made of silver.
   • The artwork itself: A drawing created using the silverpoint technique.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • Leonardo da Vinci's notebooks contain many exquisite silverpoint studies of hands and drapery.
  • The artist specialized in silverpoint, creating delicate, fine-lined portraits.
  • The museum's collection includes a rare 16th-century silverpoint of a noblewoman.

Advanced Usage

• As a compound noun modifier: The term is often used attributively to describe materials or works related to the technique.
  • She purchased silverpoint paper and a silverpoint stylus to begin her practice.
  • The gallery is hosting an exhibition of silverpoint drawings from the Renaissance.

Variants and Related Words

• Metalpoint (noun): A broader category of drawing techniques using styluses made of various metals like silver, gold, or lead. Silverpoint is a specific type of metalpoint.
• Silverpoint drawing (noun phrase): A more descriptive term for an artwork made with this technique.

Synonyms

• Metalpoint drawing: (a more general synonym)
• Silver stylus drawing: (a descriptive synonym)

Notes on Meaning

The word "silverpoint" specifically refers to the historical artistic technique and its products, primarily from the 15th and 16th centuries. It is not used for modern writing instruments or generic silver-tipped objects. The distinctive feature of a silverpoint drawing is that the silver marks tarnish over time, often developing a warm, brownish tone.

Noun

1. a drawing made on specially prepared paper with an instrument having a silver tip (15th and 16th centuries)