bas relief

Alternative forms

• bas-relief

Etymology

From French bas relief, from Italian bassorilievo, compound of basso (“low”) + rilievo (“relief”), from Latin relevare (“to raise up, make light”).

Noun

bas relief (plural bas reliefs)

1. (sculpture) A low or mostly-flat sculpture which is carved into a wall, or is in the form of a tile mounted flat to a wall, rather than a fully three-dimensional, free-standing figure.

Antonyms

Detail from the Elgin Marbles in high relief

• alto-relievo, high relief

Adjective

bas relief (not comparable)

1. Refers to any aspect of sculpture which is flat or in the bas relief style.

Further reading

• bas relief on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

• bas relief on Wikimedia Commons.Wikimedia Commons

Anagrams

• balefires

Etymology

Calque of Italian bassorilievo

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bɑ ʁə.ljɛf/

Noun

bas relief m (plural bas reliefs)

1. bas relief