limpasto

Limpasto is a term that appears mainly as a nonstandard or erroneous variant of the Italian art term impasto. It is not recognized as a distinct technique in major art dictionaries or scholarly references. When encountered, limpasto is typically treated as a misspelling, typographical error, or informal mispronunciation of impasto rather than as a separate concept.

In contrast, impasto refers to the painting technique in which thick layers of paint are applied to the canvas so that the brush or palette knife marks remain visible and create a pronounced, textured surface. The technique is associated with a sense of physicality and depth in the built-up paint, often enhancing light reflection and color saturation on the surface.

The use of limpasto in professional contexts is generally corrected or avoided; editors and historians usually substitute impasto in formal writing. In informal or non-specialist sources, limpasto may appear, but it does not denote an established method or documented variation of the technique. Consequently, limpasto lacks a defined, separate meaning in art history, and it is best understood as a probable misspelling of impasto.

See also: Impasto, Painting techniques, Glossary of painting terms.