cavo-relievo

[ kah-voh-ri-lee-voh, key- ]

/ ˈkɑ voʊ rɪˈli voʊ, ˈkeɪ- /

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noun, plural ca·vo-re·lie·vos.Fine Arts.

a form of relief sculpture in which the volumes are carved or incised so that the highest points are below or level with the original surface.Compare intaglio (defs. 1-3).

a piece of sculpture in this form.

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Also called sunk relief.

Origin of cavo-relievo

<Italian cavo-rilievo hollow relief. See cave, relief²

Words nearby cavo-relievo

cavity resonator, cavity wall, cavogram, cavography, cavolo nero, cavo-relievo, cavort, cavosurface, cavosurface angle, Cavour, cavum

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use cavo-relievo in a sentence

Truth and sincerity staring out upon you perpetually in alto relievo.
Notes & Queries, No. 53. Saturday, November 2, 1850|Various
The inner apartments are much the same as the portico, all covered with figures in basso relievo.
The Book of Curiosities|I. Platts
Not far from it, on the side of a large well, was fixed a stone with three figures carved on it, in basso relievo.
Early Travels in Palestine|Arculf et al.
An Angelo would have thrilled at sight of Della's nose, and straightway wrought it into immortality, alto relievo.
Hubert's Wife|Minnie Mary Lee

On either side an archway or portico, with relievo tablets above, representing military scenes.
Rowlandson the Caricaturist. First Volume|Joseph Grego

British Dictionary definitions for cavo-relievo

cavo-relievo

cavo-rilievo

/ (ˌkɑːvəʊrɪˈliːvəʊ, ˌkeɪ-) /

noun plural -vos or -vi (-vɪ)

a relief sculpture in which the highest point in the carving is below the level of the original surface

Word Origin for cavo-relievo

Italian, literally: hollow relief

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012