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altarpiece
(redirected from altarpieces)

   Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.05 sec.

altarpiece

Painting, relief, sculpture, screen, or decorated wall standing on or behind an altar in a Christian church. The images depict holy personages, saints, and biblical subjects. There are two types of altarpieces: the reredos, which rises from the floor behind the altar, and the retable, which stands on the altar itself or on a pedestal behind it. The diptych is an altarpiece consisting of two panels; a triptych, three panels; and a polyptych, four or more panels. Altarpieces vary in size; some are small and portable, some are huge and stationary, and some have movable wings that can be opened and closed. The practice of erecting sculptural altarpieces dates from the 11th century; altar paintings became common in the 14th century.



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Pay attention to the way the frames of the altarpieces are incorporated into the design.
``Lords of Creation: The Origins of Sacred Maya Kingship,'' at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, displays rarely seen works, from precious jewels to large altarpieces, that reflect the divine status of mortal kings thousands of years ago in southern Mexico and Central America.
One of his most significant innovations was the use of a simple rectangular format for altarpieces, more adaptable to the creation of three-dimensional space than the traditional polyptych format.
 
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