Type of object with several panels, usually an altarpiece, although it may also fulfil other functions. The polyptych normally consists of a central panel with an even number of side-panels, which are sometimes hinged to fold. Although in principle every object with two panels or more may be called a polyptych, the word is normally used as a general term for anything larger than a TRIPTYCH. As with diptychs and triptychs, the size and material can vary.

• altarpieces... (cont.)
  • types... (cont.)
    • diptychs... (cont.)
      • Netherlands, the
        • Masters, anonymous, and monogrammists, §I: Master of the Brunswick Diptych
      • Rome, ancient
        • Late Antiquity, §4: Spiritual expression
        • Rome, ancient, §I, 5(vi): Subject-matter: Late Roman developments
    • Flügelaltar
      • Flügelaltar
    • pentaptychs
      • Pentaptych
    • polyptychs
      • Belgium
        • Masters, anonymous, and monogrammists, §I: Master of Flémalle, §1(i): The Flémalle panels & related works
      • Germany
        • Germany, §III, 1(iii): Painting, before c 1400: Early Gothic
        • Masters, anonymous, and monogrammists, §I: Master of the St Bartholomew Altar
        • Strigel: (1) Hans Strigel II
      • Gothic: Italy
        • Bicci di Lorenzo, §1(ii): 1430 and after
        • Duccio, §I, 2(iii)(b): Documented works, 1285–1311: The Maestà
        • Frame, §II, 3(i): Italian Early Renaissance
        • Gothic, §IV, 1(iii): Painting: Representation and response
        • Gothic, §IV, 4(iii): Painting techniques: Illumination, modelling and treatment of surface
        • Masters, anonymous, and monogrammists, §I: Master of the Fogg Pietà
      • Italy
        • Sano di Pietro
      • Italy: Renaissance
        • Crivelli, §I: (1) Carlo Crivelli, §1(ii): Mature work, 1465 and after
        • Domenico Veneziano, §1(ii): St Lucy altarpiece, mid-1440s
        • Domenico Veneziano, §1(iii): Other late works, mid-1440s and after
        • Meo da Siena
        • Vivarini: (1) Antonio Vivarini, §1: Early work & collaboration with Giovanni d’Alemagna, 1440–50
        • Vivarini: (2) Bartolomeo Vivarini
      • Italy: 14th cent.
        • Giovanni da Milano
        • Masters, anonymous, and monogrammists, §I: St Cecilia Master (i)
        • Paolo Veneziano, §2(iii): Work, 1342 and after
      • Italy: 15th cent.
        • Bembo: (2) Benedetto Bembo
      • Netherlands, the
        • Triptych
    • Schnitzaltar
    • triptychs
      • Belgium: Baroque
        • Rubens, Peter Paul, §I, 3(i): Antwerp, 1608–19: Commissions
      • Belgium: Early Netherlandish style
        • Benson, Ambrosius
        • Bouts: (1) Dieric Bouts I, §1(ii): Life and work, after c 1460
        • Bouts: (2) Albrecht Bouts
        • David, Gerard, §1(ii): Middle period, 1484–1511
        • Goes, Hugo van der, §2: Work
        • Memling, Hans, §1(i): Training and early works, to 1475
        • Memling, Hans, §1(ii): The productive years, 1475–80
        • Weyden, van der: (1) Rogier van der Weyden, §I, 3(i): Early period, c 1432–c 1442
        • Weyden, van der: (1) Rogier van der Weyden, §I, 3(iii): Late period, 1450s and 1460s
      • Belgium: Renaissance
        • Canopy (i)
        • Frame, §V, 2: The Netherlands and Belgium: Renaissance
        • Metsys: (1) Quinten Metsys, §2(i): Religious work
        • Orley, van (i): (2) Bernard van Orley, §1(i): Paintings
      • Germany: Renaissance
        • Burgkmair: (2) Hans Burgkmair I, §2: Mature works, 1508–20
        • Cranach: (1) Lucas Cranach I, §I, 2(i)(b): Altarpieces, portraits & religious prints, c 1520 and after
      • Germany: 15th cent.
        • Lochner, Stefan, §1: Identity
      • Germany: 16th cent.
        • Kulmbach, Hans Süss von, §2: Altarpieces and painted portraits
      • Gothic: Italy
        • Bembo: (1) Bonifacio Bembo
        • Cione: (1) Andrea di Cione, §3: Late works, after 1360
        • Jacobello del Fiore, §2: The `Triptych of Justice’
        • Venice, §V, 6: Scuola Grande di S Maria della Carità
      • Italy: Renaissance
        • Butinone, Bernardino
        • Taddeo di Bartolo
      • Italy: 14th cent.
        • Daddi, Bernardo, §1(ii): Mature work, after c 1330
        • Menabuoi, Giusto de’, §1: Lombardy, before c 1370
        • Nuzi, Allegretto
      • Italy: 15th cent.
        • Alba, Macrino d’
        • Braccesco, Carlo
        • Landi, Neroccio de’
      • Italy: 16th cent.
        • Solario, Antonio
      • Netherlands, the
        • Engebrechtsz., Cornelis
      • Netherlands, the: Early Netherlandish style
        • Bosch, Hieronymus, §I: Life, commissions and patrons
        • Bosch, Hieronymus, §II, 1: Work and iconography: Religious
        • Masters, anonymous, and monogrammists, §I: Master of Delft
      • Netherlands, the: Renaissance
        • Lucas van Leyden, §2(ii): Paintings
      • Norway
        • Norway, §III, 2: Painting and graphic arts, c 1350–1814
  • see also PREDELLAS; RETABLES; SHRINES (ii) (ALTARPIECES)