A specific type of painting style, named after a Frenchman

silhouette n.

  1. A drawing consisting of the outline of something, especially a human profile, filled in with a solid color.

  2. An outline that appears dark against a light background. See Synonyms at outline.

tr.v. silhouetted, silhouetting, silhouettes: To cause to be seen as a silhouette; outline: Figures were silhouetted against the setting sun.

[French, after Étienne de Silhouette (1709-1767), French finance minister.] [AHDEL]