rezba

Rezba is the craft of carving or engraving, traditionally performed by removing material from a base such as wood, stone, or bone to create decorative or representational forms. The term comes from the verb meaning to cut and is used in several Slavic languages to describe cutting, shaping, or ornamenting material. In wood, rezba covers a broad range from simple decorative motifs to complex sculptural figures.

Techniques and forms vary by material and purpose. Wood carving can be relief work, where figures project from a flat background, or in the round, where sculpture is viewed from all sides. Tools include knives, chisels, gouges, and mallets, with finishes ranging from oil or wax to varnish. Stone carving uses similar principles with harder chisels and point tools, often resulting in durable architectural ornaments or standalone statues. In addition to traditional hand tools, modern practitioners may use power tools and digital design or computer-aided milling to plan and execute designs.

Materials and applications. Wood is the most common medium in many cultural regions, valued for its warmth and workability. Stone carving appears in architectural decoration, religious sculpture, and civic monuments, while bone, ivory, and bone substitutes appear in smaller objects or in historical contexts. Rezba covers both functional objects, such as furniture and architectural panels, and purely artistic works, ranging from folk art carvings to contemporary sculpture.

Cultural significance and practice. Rezba has a long-standing presence in many European and global crafts traditions, often linked to guilds, workshops, and regional styles. It remains a living practice, combining traditional motifs with contemporary design, and is supported by craft schools, museums, and ateliers that preserve techniques while inviting new interpretations.