gesso
UK[ˈdʒɛsəʊ]US[ˈdʒɛsoʊ]
n
A mixture of plaster of Paris or gypsum and glue, used as a surface for painting or as a ground for low relief sculpture.
n
A prepared surface of plaster or plaster-like material for painting, gilding, or painting on.
Etymology
The word 'gesso' entered English in the late 16th century directly from the Italian noun 'gesso', meaning 'chalk' or 'plaster'. The Italian term itself derives from the Latin 'gypsum', which was borrowed from the Greek 'gypsos', also meaning 'chalk' or 'plaster'. This etymological path reflects the material's long-standing use in art, from ancient Greek and Roman preparation techniques through the Italian Renaissance, where it was perfected as a ground for panel painting and gilding. The modern English meaning retains the core Italian sense of a prepared plaster-like surface for artistic work.
Analysis
The word is a simplex loanword from Italian. Its spelling and form are treated as a single unit in English.
Examples
The artist applied a smooth layer of gesso to the canvas before beginning the oil painting.
Traditional gesso, made from rabbit-skin glue and chalk, is quite brittle and must be applied to a rigid panel.
She used a tinted gesso to create a colored background for her acrylic artwork.