Retable

As Altarpiece (from Latin retro tabula altaris " panel behind the altar " ) refers to any altarpiece - often simply equated in the German language with an altar - so a display wall that is either applied directly to the cafeteria of an altar with or without predella is placed on a separate foundation behind the altar table or mounted on the wall behind the altar. There are also painted on the wall of the choir altarpieces, see below. As an altar shrine is known in the history of Western art, the cabinet -like opening centerpiece of a closable with wings Schnitzretabels. The name comes from the Latin word retable, which literally " rear panel " means. The counterpart of the reredos is the altar frontal hanging mounted according to the label on the front edge of Mensa on leg height of the celebrant before the altar. This form of altar design came to the Middle Ages.

The Romanesque altarpiece, as well as the frontal, stone, stucco or metal is decorated with reliefs, if it is made of wood often decorated with gold leaf fittings or paintings. Its outline is rectangular, semi-circular or rectangular with a semicircular increase in the middle. In the Gothic period the altarpiece was painted panels extended ( triptych ). Sometimes scenes were single with additional architectural framing, consisting of piers, gables and pinnacles surrounded. A construction from architectural elements with adjusted figures above the shout box is called conversation tightness. The largest Gothic altarpiece (27 m × 18 m) is located in the Cathedral of Seville. Centers of production of late Gothic altarpiece are, for example, Lubeck and Antwerp. In the Renaissance and Baroque standing behind the altar reredos was common, where was usually dispensed with wings and only the center image (also called altarpiece ) remained. Its architectural framework consisting of a shrine ( shrine - altar), with the blends the architecture of the choir and of the whole church hall to a stylistic and compositional unit.

Known copies

• Antwerp altarpiece
• Holy Blood Altar in the Church of St. Jakob in Rothenburg ob der Tauber
• Crucifixion altarpiece in St. Peter and Paul in Detwang
• Mary altarpiece in the church of God Creglingen
• Pala d' oro in St. Mark's Basilica in Venice
• A painted on the wall of the choir altarpiece is, for example, Gothic 14 Holy Helpers altar of St. Peter and Paul Church in Westerbuchberg.