Contrapposto
noun /ˌkɒntrəˈpɒstəʊ/ — The pose where hips and shoulders are angled opposite each other.
Definition
A sculptural pose in which the figure's weight is shifted onto one leg, causing the hips and shoulders to angle in opposite directions — giving a sense of natural movement, tension, and life.
Beyond the definition
Contrapposto is the moment a statue stops being a column and starts being a body. The Greeks discovered it; the Renaissance revived it. It is the physical expression of counterbalance — the principle that life is not symmetry but adjustment.
Origin & history
Italian: contrapposto (set against). In Renaissance sculpture and painting, it described the technique developed in ancient Greece to show the human body in natural, off-axis balance — as seen in Michelangelo's David.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
Michelangelo's David demonstrates contrapposto perfectly — all the weight shifted to one leg.
The model stood in natural contrapposto, one hip cocked, shoulders in gentle opposition.
She had a contrapposto quality when she argued — never squared up, always slightly angled, which made her harder to confront.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Contrapposto” when the meaning fits your context: A sculptural pose in which the figure's weight is shifted onto one leg, causing the hips and shoulders to angle in opposite directions — giving a sense of natural movement, tension, and life.
Synonyms
weight shift, counter-balance pose
Antonyms
symmetrical stance, frontal pose
Related words
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Runner Mid-Stride Motion
An adult runner mid-stride on a path, with a subtle overlay conceptualizing the muscles and organs at work.
The runner's stride naturally shifts weight to one leg, mirroring the contrapposto pose. The angling of the hips and shoulders as the body balances and moves provides the sense of natural tension and life that this sculptural pose is meant to evoke.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Contrapposto" mean?
Contrapposto is noun meaning: The pose where hips and shoulders are angled opposite each other.. A sculptural pose in which the figure's weight is shifted onto one leg, causing the hips and shoulders to angle in opposite directions — giving a sense of natural movement, tension, and life.
Where does the word "Contrapposto" come from?
Italian: contrapposto (set against). In Renaissance sculpture and painting, it described the technique developed in ancient Greece to show the human body in natural, off-axis balance — as seen in Michelangelo's David.