Sculpture developed around its full circumference rather than remaining attached to a continuous background as in relief.
In the round describes sculpture whose forms are developed around their full circumference rather than projecting from, or being sunk into, a continuous background surface. A sculpture in the round can be understood as an object occupying three-dimensional space rather than as a relief tied to a plane.
The related French term ronde-bosse is widely encountered in art-historical writing. Although many sculptures in the round are intended to be viewed from multiple sides, a work may still possess a dominant frontal or preferred viewpoint.
Etymology
English descriptive phrase. Related to French ronde-bosse, a traditional term for fully three-dimensional sculpture.
Sculptor Notes
Working in the round requires the sculptor to control the continuity of form through successive viewpoints. Profile, silhouette, mass, axis, and the transitions between views become as important as any single frontal image.
References
https://www.getty.edu/vow/AATFullDisplay?subjectid=300047264