CARPI, Ugo da, an Italian painter who flourished about the year 1500. He is chiefly remarkable as having been supposed the inventor of that species of engraving on wood distinguished by the name of chiaroscuro, in imitation of drawing. Huber, Heinecken, and Breitkopf, however, have distinctly proved that the art of printing in chiaroscuro was known long before in Germany; and have produced existing works of Jan Ulric Pilgrim and of Mair, who flourished before the time of Ugo. One of Mair's prints of this sort is dated 1499; the earliest of Da Carpi's is 1518. Printing in chiaroscuro is performed by using several blocks. Ugo da Carpi usually had three; the first for the outline and dark shadows, the second for the lighter shadows, and the third for the half tint. In this manner he struck off prints after several designs, and the cartoons of Raphael, particularly one of the Sibyl, a Descent from the Cross, and the History of Simon the Sorcerer. Carpi died about 1530. The art was brought to a high degree of perfection by Baldassare Peruzzi of Siena, and Parmigiano.