A sculpted figure placed on the jamb or embrasure of a portal, especially characteristic of Romanesque and Gothic architectural sculpture.
A jamb figure is a sculpted figure positioned on the jamb or embrasure of an architectural portal. Such figures became especially prominent in Romanesque and Gothic church portals, where saints, prophets, rulers, and other sacred or symbolic personages were integrated into the architecture surrounding the entrance.
Because jamb figures occupy a narrow vertical field, their proportions and gestures are often adapted to the architecture. The figure may remain strongly attached to a column or wall surface while still achieving an independent sculptural presence.
Etymology
English descriptive term: jamb + figure.
Sculptor Notes
Jamb figures are an excellent example of sculpture responding to architectural constraint. Their elongation, frontal emphasis, and controlled projection often arise directly from the narrow vertical space they inhabit.
References
https://www.getty.edu/vow/AATFullDisplay?subjectid=300184811