relief sculpture
Projecting carved artwork
Relief sculpture is three-dimensional art that projects from a flat background surface rather than standing freely in space.
The figures or forms remain attached to the backing material—stone, wood, metal, or plaster.
Relief ranges from shallow bas-relief to deep high relief, where figures may emerge almost completely from the surface.
Ancient temples, coins, and architectural ornament commonly feature relief sculpture.
- chiselingCutting with edged tool
- carved in stoneFixed beyond alteration
- marbleRecrystallized limestone rock
- Ancient EgyptPharaonic Nile civilization
- temple wallsSides of holy structure
carving · bronze · sarcophagus · casting · Mesopotamia · Mayan civilization · terracotta · portrait bust · floral motifs · decorative panel · tympanum · sandstone · molding · raised · clay · religious iconography · temple · motif
- art formspainting, drawing, photography, music, dance
- Fine Artoil painting, portrait, landscape, sketch, watercolor
- sculpturestatue, sculptor, sculpting, bronze, marble
- ancient artifactsjade mask, Viking sword, bronze sculptures, antiquities, Roman coin
- wood carvingswoodcarving, carving, wood carving, wood spirit, totem poles
- sculptingcarving, clay, modeling, molding, plaster
relief sculpturedrawing
Marks forming a picture
painting · fresco · mural · print · printmaking
relief sculptureintaglio
Carving cut below surface
sunken relief · engraving · etching · cameo