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Jan 12, 2024 · What is a high-relief sculpture, and how did this type of sculpture emerge in history? Relief sculptures are best understood as representations or abstract sculptures that are shared as an art form across multiple cultures.
- Jordan Anthony
- ( Content Editor, Art Writer, Photographer )
High relief is often used in monumental sculptures to emphasize important figures and narratives, making them stand out visually. In early imperial monuments, high relief techniques allowed artists to create dynamic compositions that convey motion and emotion.
There are three basic types of relief sculpture: (1) low relief (basso-relievo, or bas-relief), where the sculpture projects only slightly from the background surface; (2) high relief (alto-relievo, or alto-relief), where the sculpture projects at least half or more of its natural circumference from the background, and may in parts be wholly ...
Jun 1, 2023 · Jessie answers your Frequently Asked Art Questions in this new Becoming Artsy segment! First up, what is a relief sculpture? What is High Relief? Bas Relief?...
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- The Getty
Aug 29, 2024 · High relief, or alto relief, is one where in general more than half the mass of the sculpted figure projects from the background. The most prominent elements of the composition, especially heads and limbs, are often completely undercut, detaching them from the field.
In a high relief, or alto-relievo, the forms project at least half or more of their natural circumference from the background and may in parts be completely disengaged from the ground, thus approximating sculpture in the round.
Relief sculpture—sculpture that projects in varying degrees from a two-dimensional background—has a distinguished history dating back over 20,000 years in Eastern and Western cultures. Alto-relievo (high relief) approaches three dimensions while bas-relief (low relief) at times is more akin to two-dimensional drawing.
