Term
Relief
A sculptural image that projects from or is cut into a background while remaining attached to the surface.
- Category
- Term
- Index letter
- R
Understanding the term
Relief may be low, high or sunken depending on how far forms project or recede. It is experienced mainly from the front, but side lighting matters because shadows make the modelling legible.
When Relief appears in a description, the term helps specify a work's form, status or history. Its precise meaning should always be read alongside information about material, technique, date and origin.
Specialist terminology is most useful when it can be supported. Signatures, labels, edition numbers, documentation and visible traces in the object can all help establish whether a term is accurate in a particular case.
Related entries
Continue through the glossary with terms from the same field.