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| 18th-century silhouette portrait |
A silhouette is the image of a person, animal, object, or scene represented as a solid shape of a single color, usually black, with its edges matching the outline of the subject. The interior of a silhouette is featureless, and the silhouette is usually presented on a light background, usually white, or none at all.
The word silhouette is derived from the name of Étienne de Silhouette, a French finance minister. In 1759, he was forced by France's credit crisis to impose severe economic demands upon the French people, particularly the wealthy. His austere economies caused his name to be attached with anything done or made cheaply.
These outline portraits were popular prior to the advent of photography. They were cut from black cards and were the cheapest way of recording a person's appearance.
Apparently, Étienne de Silhouette enjoyed making such drawings and used them to decorate his chateau.
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