Polyptych

The term polyptych ( Greek " Much picture" ) refers to a multi-screen or - in the Central European parlance - a multi- foldable wing altar or "change Altar". A multi-image with only two parts or the wings will diptych, one called with three image parts triptych. Rarely used the term " Pentaptychon " for a five-part image.

History

The history of the much -forming ring altarpieces date, little is researched. Its origin is probably to look alike in the Byzantine iconostasis as in small foldable Elfenbeinaltärchen which were imitated in Italy since the end of the Middle Ages. From there, the tradition came ultimately to Central Europe, where the first major triptychs created, and to Spain, where the greatest - not convertible - Altar can be found.

Examples

• Ghent Altarpiece, Jan van Eyck ( 1430 )
• The Last Judgement, Rogier van der Weyden ( 1460 )
• Isenheim Altarpiece, Mathias Grünewald (c. 1510)

Italy and Spain

In Italy, the multi-part, but rigidly mounted altarpiece are called polittico. The often huge and much -forming ring, but not changeable altarpiece in the Spanish cultural area commonly referred to not as a polyptych, but as a retablo. Change altars with moving wings do not exist in both regions.

Giotto di Bondone Baroncelli Polptychon in Santa Croce, Florence ( 1335 )

Gentile da Fabriano, polyptych from the Valle Romita ( 1415 )

Carlo Crivelli polyptych of Sant ' Emidio in Ascoli Piceno ( 1470 )