1. having the qualities characteristic of painting, especially visible brushstrokes and emphasis on color and texture rather than precise detail
Usage: art criticism
2. resembling or suggestive of a painting in visual appearance

Examples

• The artist’s painterly style emphasized bold brushstrokes over fine details.
• Her painterly approach to the landscape captured the mood rather than exact forms.
• The sunset created a painterly effect across the sky.
• Critics praised the painterly quality of his portraits.
• The photograph had an almost painterly softness to it.
• Van Gogh’s painterly technique is instantly recognizable.