Reliefejä

Reliefejä is the Finnish term for relief sculpture, referring to artworks where figures or designs project from a solid background. The technique creates a three-dimensional effect while remaining attached to a background plane.

Reliefejä can be categorized by depth: bas-relief (shallow projection) and haut-relief or high relief (more pronounced projection). In addition to depth, reliefs can be carved directly from stone or wood, cast in metal, or formed in plaster or terracotta. Reliefs are commonly found in architectural contexts, such as friezes, capitals, and decorative panels, as well as in standalone sculpture.

Historically, relief sculpture has appeared in many cultures: ancient Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Greek, and Roman art used relief to tell stories or decorate monuments; later medieval and Renaissance artists revived classical approaches in church façades, altars, and tombs. In modern practice, relief remains a versatile form in public art, numismatics, and relief sculpture in relief on buildings or monuments.

Notable examples include the Parthenon frieze (ancient Greece) and Assyrian palace reliefs, as well as Renaissance and Baroque architectural reliefs. In coins and medals, high-relief designs provide dramatic depth.

See also: Bas-relief, High relief, Relief sculpture.