bas-relief
Definition
- Noun:
- Sculptural relief: "bas-relief" is a type of sculpture in which the figures or designs project only slightly from a flat background, creating a shallow three-dimensional effect. It is also known as low relief.
Usage Examples
- (A shallow sculptural carving on a flat surface.)
- (A technique of low-relief sculpture.)
Advanced Usage
"in bas-relief": describing a sculptural technique where the design is raised slightly from the background.
- The coin featured a portrait of the king in bas-relief. (The portrait was carved in low relief on the coin's surface.)
"bas-relief carving": the act or process of creating such a sculpture.
- The museum exhibit included a demonstration of bas-relief carving by a skilled artisan. (The process of making low-relief sculpture.)
Variants and Related Words
Bass-relief (n): an alternative spelling of "bas-relief", though less common.
- The bass-relief on the monument was barely visible after centuries of weathering. (A variant spelling for low-relief sculpture.)
Basso-relievo (n): an Italian term for bas-relief, used in art history contexts.
- The Renaissance artist created a beautiful basso-relievo of the Virgin Mary. (A formal term for low relief.)
Synonyms
- Low relief: a sculptural technique where the design projects minimally from the background.
- Relief sculpture: a general term for any sculpture that projects from a flat surface, with bas-relief being a specific type.
Related Idioms