Indicates the application of light touches of colour (or the insertion of gilded portions) to give "light" to a drawing or a painting in order to make part of the composition stand out or evident. The term is widely documented in all of the ancient sources, beginning with the 16th century, and is still commonly used when speaking of painting. In Giorgio Vasari(1568), for example, one reads: "further, with a fine brush dipped in lead white mixed with gum, the highlights are added. This method is very pictorial, and best shows the scheme of colouring."