soutine: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal / Artistic
Quick answer
What does “soutine” mean?
A French painter of the early 20th century, known for his intense, emotionally charged portraits and still lifes with thickly applied paint.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A French painter of the early 20th century, known for his intense, emotionally charged portraits and still lifes with thickly applied paint.
The term can refer specifically to the artistic style or works characteristic of Chaim Soutine, often marked by expressionistic distortion, vibrant color, and visible brushwork.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Pronunciation may vary slightly (see IPA).
Connotations
Carries connotations of Expressionism, the School of Paris, and early 20th-century modern art.
Frequency
Used with equal rarity in both UK and US English, exclusively within art circles, museums, and academia.
Grammar
How to Use “soutine” in a Sentence
[Gallery] has a Soutine[Art critic] compared the work to Soutine[Artist] was influenced by SoutineVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “soutine” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The painting had a distinctly Soutine-esque quality in its brutal honesty.
American English
- Her technique is very Soutine-like, with that same impulsive energy.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in art history lectures, papers, and catalogues raisonnés.
Everyday
Extremely unlikely to be used in everyday conversation.
Technical
Used in provenance research, art conservation, and auction cataloguing.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “soutine”
Neutral
Weak
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “soutine”
- Using it as a common noun (e.g., 'It's a soutine.').
- Misspelling as 'Soutin', 'Soutaine', or 'Sutin'.
- Mispronouncing with /aʊ/ as in 'out'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a proper noun (a surname) used almost exclusively in the context of art history and criticism.
Yes, but rarely and informally. Forms like 'Soutine-esque' or 'Soutine-like' are used descriptively in art writing to denote qualities reminiscent of his style.
Recognising that it is not a standard lexical item with a definition, but a cultural reference to a specific person. Its usage is domain-specific.
As a piece of cultural knowledge. Understand it refers to a specific artist. You will likely only encounter it when reading about or visiting modern art exhibitions.
A French painter of the early 20th century, known for his intense, emotionally charged portraits and still lifes with thickly applied paint.
Soutine is usually formal / artistic in register.
Soutine: in British English it is pronounced /ˈsuː.tiːn/, and in American English it is pronounced /suːˈtiːn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'SOUp is thick, like Soutine's paint; TINE is a fork, for his piercing emotional style.'
Conceptual Metaphor
SOUTINE IS TURBULENT EMOTION (e.g., 'a Soutine sky' to describe turbulent, expressively painted clouds).
Practice
Quiz
In which artistic context is the name 'Soutine' most accurately used?