Triptych

The triptych (from the Greek τρίπτυχος Triptychos, folded three times ', consisting of three layers ') is a three-part painting or a three-part relief panel. It consists of a central panel and two wings generally smaller, sometimes supplemented with a predella under the central part. A triptych with Christian motifs and with swinging side plates for closing the central part is a possible form of a triptych.

Size and Usage

The size of a triptych is highly dependent on its use. This ranges from very small triptychs on the carriage when traveling, for example, the Dresden Lady altar by Jan van Eyck, over medium-format panels, such as the John altar of Rogier van der Weyden, which are then in small chapels or private devotion spaces to large altars, the prominent standing in the apse of a church, such as St. Mary's altar of Conrad von Soest.

The triptychs used as altars can be an everyday side ( closed state) and holiday side ( open) differ. The outer sides are usually kept simple, often with a very reduced palette to pure grisaille. Is in contrast to the elaborate, colorful, in the Gothic style with a gold background, painted inside pages. The Reisetriptychen the outer sides have a protective function and are therefore also kept simple.

Contents and topics

The tripartite division allows emphasis of certain figures or actions on the central panel - in the Christian painting, for example, scenes with Jesus or Madonna. On the Wings of minor characters are then mapped as the founder or other more important local saints or clergy. Furthermore, the central plot shown can be linked to preceding and following scenes and accompanied. The reading direction of the triptych is usually from left to right. Also widely separated events to be connected together: The Triptych The Hay Wain by Hieronymus Bosch spans the arc from the paradise of the world to hell. At the Last Judgment by Hans Memling, the redeemed are shown on the left panel and the damned on the right.

Modern triptychs

The triptych is also found in the art of the late 19th and 20th century - as the Aino triptych of the Finnish " bridge " artist Akseli Gallén - Kallela, and in the present. In German-speaking side, this particular Otto Dix, Max Beckmann and Oskar Kokoschka mentioned. The topics are no longer fixed to the Religious: For Dix, it is the First World War and its aftermath; Beckmann and Kokoschka mythological stories and artistic quotes from old masters to be re- assembled. Also Guernica by Pablo Picasso and Barnett Newman's series Who's Afraid of Red, Yellow and Blue can be viewed as triptychs and a confrontation with them. Another artist who ordered images as triptychs, the English painter Francis Bacon.

But also created even today triptychs with religious themes, sometimes non-representational paintings like Gary Stephen (* 1942) 1984 features the Trinity.

Selected triptychs

• Aachen Altar by Master of the Aachen Altar
• Dresdner Marie altar by Jan van Eyck,
• Marie altar of Conrad von Soest,
• Three king altar by Stephan Lochner,
• Merode Triptych by Robert Campin,
• Kreuzigungstriptychon by Rogier van der Weyden
• Miraflores Altar of Rogier van der Weyden,
• John altarpiece by Rogier van der Weyden,
• Sacrament altar of Rogier van der Weyden
• Portinari Triptych by Hugo van der Goes
• The Last Judgement by Hans Memling,
• The Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch,
• The Hay Wain by Hieronymus Bosch,
• Paumgartner altar of Albrecht Dürer
• Heller altar of Albrecht Dürer and Matthias Grünewald
• Dillinger Triptych
• Hesperides and more by Hans von Marées
• The war of Otto Dix
• City of Otto Dix
• Various triptychs by Max Beckmann
• Prometheus by Oskar Kokoschka
• Thermopylae by Oskar Kokoschka
• Alpine triptych by Giovanni Segantini
• The reunification of Eckhard Buchholz
• Triptych for " Luther Decade " by Eckhard Buchholz