Sculptures in low relief have details that are presented close to the surface. In some ways it is much like the surface of a coin. A sculpture is considered low relief if there are no undercuts and the image does not project at least half the depth of the object being featured. Here is a low relief sculpture by Friedrich Hagenauer. It is not unusual to find sculptures that have areas that are low relief and areas that are high relief, although one usually is dominant. Relief sculptures are distinct from sculptures in the round.
Sculptures in low relief have more in common with works in two dimensions as many aspects, including the illusion of depth, are often featured in these works.