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Bas relief

A bas-relief, or low relief, is a type of sculpture that is characterized by a shallow depth of carving or modeling. The term comes from the Italian "basso-relievo," meaning "low relief."

In a bas-relief, the figures and elements remain close to the background, which is usually flat. They project only slightly from this background, creating a subtle three-dimensional effect. The degree of projection can vary; the lower the relief, the less the figures project from the background.

History and Notable Examples

Bas-reliefs have been used by many cultures throughout history. They were particularly favored by the ancient Egyptians for temple decorations and by the Greeks and Romans in their architectural friezes. For example, the Parthenon in Athens, Greece, has a continuous frieze in bas-relief running around the outer wall of the cella (inner chamber).

One of the most famous bas-reliefs is the Behistun Inscription in Iran, created on the order of Darius the Great in the 5th century BCE. It includes a large panel featuring a bas-relief scene of Darius I, the Great King, in front of nine rebel figures.

Creating a Bas-Relief

Creating a bas-relief sculpture involves either carving away material from a flat surface (in the case of stone or wood) or adding material to the surface (in the case of clay or wax). The artist must consider the play of light and shadow on the shallow forms, and may often need to slightly distort or exaggerate the forms to achieve a naturalistic appearance when viewed from the front.

Modern bas-relief sculpture can also be created using more contemporary materials, such as cast bronze, resin, or even concrete. For casting processes, an initial model is usually made in clay, plaster, or wax, from which a mold is taken to create the final cast sculpture.

Uses of Bas-Relief

Bas-relief is often used for architectural decoration, on walls, ceilings, and friezes. It's also commonly used on coins and medals, due to the durability of the low relief when subjected to extensive handling. Additionally, bas-relief is frequently used for memorials and gravestones.

Despite the limitations of working with shallow depths, bas-relief can depict complex scenes and convey a sense of depth and volume. It requires a high degree of skill to create a convincing representation with such minimal projection. As such, mastery of bas-relief is often considered a mark of a sculptor's technical skill.