Relief Sculptures

Definition

Relief sculptures are sculptures that are attached to a background and project outwards from it. They have varying degrees of depth, with some parts being more raised than others.

Analogy

Imagine a picture on your phone screen. Now imagine if certain parts of the picture were raised up, creating a 3D effect. That's what relief sculptures are like!

Related terms

Bas-relief: Bas-relief is a type of relief sculpture where the figures or designs are only slightly raised from the background.

High relief: High relief is a type of relief sculpture where the figures or designs are deeply carved and stand out prominently from the background.

Sunken relief: Sunken relief is a type of relief sculpture where the figures or designs are carved into the surface, rather than projecting outwards. It creates an impression as if they're sunken into the material.