Bringing the Holy Land Home: The Crusades, Chertsey Abbey, and the Reconstruction of a Medieval Masterpiece

How was the Relief with Addorsed Ducks made?

The Relief with Addorsed Ducks is carved from marble in the technique of bas-relief. Bas-relief, also referred to as low relief, is characterized by the depictions of figures that are raised only slightly from the surface of their background. The projection of the ducks, oak leaves, and other forms of natural imagery that decorate this relief panel are structured in this way. Due to its quality as a stone that could be easily and intricately carved, marble has been the preferred carving material since the times of the ancient Greeks. Most relief carvings were done using hand tools such as chisels. Figures inhabit a space defined by the solid forms of the figures themselves and is limited by the background plane. In medieval Europe at this time, religious art mostly presented itself in the form of architecture. The construction and decoration of Christian worship spaces were often financed by the Christian Church in Rome. Magnificently carved pieces of statuary and relief sculpture decorate the portals and entryways (tympana) of Romanesque cathedrals in prominent European countries.

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