High Relief - Definition

High Relief, also know as 'alto-rilievo', is where more than half of the mass of the sculpted figure, object or feature projects from the grounding/surface. (Read more after Break)

The prominent features of the sculpture's composition, such as limbs are as a result sculpted to such an extent that they are completely undercut and therefore detached from the background field. High Relief is very similar to free-standing sculptures which have been executed entirely in the round and as a consequence are no longer attached to a background. The only attribute of the original block from which the sculpture is carved, which the object remains attached to is a plinth for which the object is to reside in situ.