Editing Relief (section)

===Small objects===
[[File:French - Diptych with Scenes from the Passion of Christ - Walters 71179 - Open.jpg|thumb|left|French Gothic [[diptych]], 25&nbsp;cm (9.8&nbsp;in) high, with crowded scenes from the ''[[Life of Christ in art|Life of Christ]]'', c.&nbsp;1350–1365]]
Small-scale reliefs have been carved in various materials, notably [[ivory carving|ivory]], wood, and wax.  Reliefs are often found in [[decorative arts]] such as [[ceramic art|ceramics]] and [[metalwork]]; these are less often described as "reliefs" than as "in relief". Small bronze reliefs are often in the form of "plaques" or [[plaquette]]s, which may be set in furniture or framed, or just kept as they are, a popular form for European collectors, especially in the Renaissance.

Various modelling techniques are used, such [[repoussé]] ("pushed-back") in metalwork, where a thin metal plate is shaped from behind using various metal or wood punches, producing a relief image. [[Casting]] has also been widely used in [[bronze]] and other metals. Casting and repoussé are often used in concert in to speed up production and add greater detail to the final relief. In stone, as well as engraved gems, larger [[hardstone carving]]s in semi-precious stones have been highly prestigious since ancient times in many Eurasian cultures. Reliefs in [[wax]] were produced at least from the [[Renaissance]].

[[Ivory carving|Carved ivory]] reliefs have been used since ancient times, and because the material, though expensive, cannot usually be reused, they have a relatively high survival rate, and for example [[consular diptych]]s represent a large proportion of the survivals of portable secular art from [[Late Antiquity]]. In the [[Gothic art|Gothic period]] the carving of ivory reliefs became a considerable [[Luxury goods|luxury]] industry in [[Paris]] and other centres. As well as small [[diptych]]s and [[triptych]]s with densely packed religious scenes, usually from the [[New Testament]], secular objects, usually in a lower relief, were also produced.

These were often round mirror-cases, combs, handles, and other small items, but included a few larger caskets like the [[Casket with Scenes of Romances (Walters 71264)]] in [[Baltimore]], [[Maryland]], in the United States. Originally they were very often painted in bright colours.  Reliefs can be impressed by stamps onto clay, or the clay pressed into a mould bearing the design, as was usual with the mass-produced {{lang|la|[[terra sigillata]]}} of [[Ancient Roman pottery]]. Decorative reliefs in [[plaster]] or [[stucco]] may be much larger; this form of architectural decoration is found in many styles of interiors in the post-Renaissance West, and in [[Islamic architecture]].

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