[Woodcarver] What is relief carving?

[Ivan Whillock Studio]

Someone asked the question, "If I took a figure in the round and then
flattened the back and hung it on the wall, would it then be a relief
carving?"    The fact is, many sculptures that appear to be "in the round"
statues have uncarved backs.  This was very common with carvings from a
single log.  They were essentially "C" shaped because to keep the log from
splitting it was hollowed out with the opening placed at the back of the
statue.  It was then displayed against the wall or in a niche where the back
didn't show.  The term I've heard used is "three-quarter round" for this
type of carving.  Large figures to be mounted on a cross, for example, are
hollowed out to lighten them.  There are many examples of "in the round"
sculptures not being carved on the back.

As in most definitions,  one can find examples that challenge the
definition.  There are so many variables in nature that it is difficult to
create single definitions that account for all of the variables.  On the
microscopic level, there are even organisms that challenge the definitions
of "plant" and "animal"  (The fact that language is imprecise, of course, is
grist to the mill of talk radio and the "gotcha!" strategy of political
debate where you attack your opponent by taking only the extreme  meanings
of his words.)

Ivan Whillock Studio
122 NE 1st Avenue
Faribault, MN 55021
Visit my website at
 http://www.whillock.com
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http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?username=ivancarve