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Centaur from the pediment of Parthenon

A relief is a sculptured artwork where a modeled form projects out from a flat background.

Reliefs are a common type of artwork found throughout the world, particularly to decorate monumental buildings, such as temples. The frieze in the classical Corinthian order is often enriched with bas-relief (low relief). Alto-relievo (high-relief) may been seen in the pediments of classical temples, e.g. the Parthenon. Reliefs can be used for a single scene, or ordered into a narrative. They can be very detailed to the extent that even tensed musculature itself may be seen.

Roman Hetaera, Relief, around 2nd century, Head is missing

Several types of relief are commonly used and defined although in all cases the images must attach to the background.

• Bas-relief (pronounced "bah"), or low relief, with the background compressed for depth; as seen for example in numismatics. Although unusual, Bas-relief may show faces and even bodies in natural relief.
• Alto-relievo, or high relief, where the image is highly undercut and rendered almost in the round against its flat background. In alto-relief the figures are usually near natural depth and the background is more detailed and deeper.
• Sunken-relief, also known as intaglio or hollow-relief, where the image is carved into the stone, creating in effect a negative, in contrast to other types of relief work where the surrounding stone is carved away to leave the image

Hindu temple naga at Hampi

Famous examples of reliefs include:

• Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Keystone, South Dakota
• Great Altar of Pergamon, now at the Pergamon Museum, Berlin
• Lions and dragons from the Ishtar Gate, Babylon
• Temple of Karnak in Egypt
• Angkor Wat in Cambodia
• The images of the elephant, horse, bull and lion at the bottom of the Lion Capital of Asoka, the national symbol of India (the Capital itself is a full sculpture)
• glyphs and artwork of the Maya civilization
• The monument to the Confederacy at Stone Mountain, Georgia
• Borobudur temple, Java, Indonesia
• The Elgin Marbles from the Parthenon now housed at the British Museum.
• The representation of Monticello on a US nickel.
• The Madara Rider near Shumen, Bulgaria.

Greek couple in high relief	Palmyra Figure in British Museum	Persian relief from Qajar era in the style of Persepolis, located at Tangeh Savashi.	Angels from Clonfert Cathedral, Co Galway, Ireland (adjusted to highlight relief)
Yaxchilan Lintel 24, a Mayan carving depicting a blood sacrifice	Chinese lady musicians from the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period (907-960 AD)

• Alto-relievo
• Bas-relief

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Relief