brunaille

English

Vincent van Gogh, 1885, study for The Potato Eaters in brunaille

Etymology

From French brunaille, from brun (“brown”). Compare grisaille.

Adjective

brunaille (not comparable)

1. (art) Consisting of shades of brown, painted or executed with shades of brown, brown monochrome.
   • 1984, Larry Silver, The Paintings of Quinten Massys, page 48:

     A corporate desire for identity and recognition also helps to explain the unusual coincidence of a traditional brunaille exterior in conjunction with a crowded, lively, visually striking interior painted in the most novel, fashionable, local style.

Noun

brunaille (countable and uncountable, plural brunailles)

1. (art) A method of painting or other work that uses shades of brown primarily or exclusively.
   • 1986, Görel Cavalli-Björkman, Dutch and Flemish Paintings, volume 2, page 483:

     Genre paintings in grisaille (grey monochrome) or brunaille (brown monochrome) by Adriaen van de Venne represent a special chapter in Dutch art history.

2. (art) An artwork or study executed in this style.
   • 1996, Jeroen Giltaij, Jan Kelch, Praise of Ships and the Sea: The Dutch Marine Painters of the 17th Century, page 370:

     Paintings of this kind are known as brunailles – by analogy with grisailles, which are paintings done mainly in grey.

Anagrams

• uniballer, unliberal