Bas-relief
A bas-relief is a form of sculpture that is carved from a flat two-dimensional plane creating a three-dimensional appearance. The backgrounds are kept shallow from the raised features, usually between a fraction of an inch to a few inches deep. It was predominately used as a decorative feature in the ancient architecture of countries such as Egypt, Greece and Italy.
The term is French and is derived from the Italian basso-relievo (‘low relief’).
A bas-relief is created in one of two ways:
- By carving away material such as wood, stone, ivory, and so on.
- By applying material, such as strips of clay, to the top of an otherwise smooth surface.
The natural contours and shape of that being represented should be retained, which means that the bas-relief can be viewed from different angles without undue visual distortion.
Alto-relievo (high relief) is where the technique is applied to much deeper backgrounds, usually of between a foot and several feet in depth.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Architectural styles.
- Architrave.
- Classical orders in architecture.
- Cornice.
- Crocket.
- Elements of classical columns.
- Entablature.
- Fresco.
- Frieze.
- Gargoyle.
- Grotesque.
- Hunky punk.
- Large-scale murals.
- Moulding.
- Pedestal.
- Pediment.
- Pendentive dome.
- Pilaster.
- Rustication.
- Soffit.
- Stained glass.
- Tessera.
- The history of fabric structures.
- Trompe l’oeil.
- Tympanum.
IHBC NewsBlog
IHBC, CIfA, IEMA launch Principles of Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment
The joint-institute document aims to help maintain cultural heritage by providing a consistent framework across different sectors & geographies
Enter Now to Win: IHBC's GASA Awards 2021
IHBC’s Gus Astley Student Awards 2021: Win £500 and a place on IHBC’s 2022 Aberdeen School with your built environment/heritage coursework, closes 31/07!
Former Harris meat factory mansion in Calne, Wilts, to be restored
The last remaining buildings on the site of the Harris meat factory family’s historic mansion are being restored to their former glory and converted into new homes.
CICV Forum introduces professional indemnity insurance guide
The Construction Industry Coronavirus Forum (CICV Forum) has unveiled a new guide to the crucial and increasingly complex issue of professional indemnity insurance (PII).
The World Heritage Committee(WHC): Liverpool should lose its World Heritage status.
ICOMOS has advised that the new football stadium proposal, if implemented, would have a completely unacceptable major adverse impact its authenticity and integrity.
Scotland’s CSIC: New plans to transform public spaces into sustainable office hubs
Responding to the changing working patterns of a post-Covid Scotland, the Construction Scotland Innovation Centre (CSIC) has revealed new plans to help retrofit public spaces into out-of-town alternatives to city centre offices.
IHBC’s latest Context explores ‘Applying Digital Technology'
The free-to-access online issue mixes the topical and practical to explore how the sector can best adapt to digital innovation.
IHBC Annual School: Historic Places - People Places: 18 June 2021
IHBC’s 2021 virtual conference examines how we can best change and sustain places for the benefit of people, led by expert practitioners boasting international, national and local profiles and experiences.
Europe’s top heritage awards honour 24 exemplary achievements from 18 countries
The 2021 winners of the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards have been announced.
10 Local Councils in England to test the use of digital tools in planning process
England’s Housing Minister has announced a £1.1 million fund to test the use of digital tools and data standards across 10 local areas.