drieluik

A drieluik is a three-panel artwork, typically an altarpiece, in which the panels are joined by hinges or otherwise designed to be displayed together. The structure centers on a dominant central panel, flanked by two narrower wings that can be opened or closed. When closed, the outer panels may bear different imagery or inscriptions, and when open they reveal a continuous scene across the panels. The term is Dutch, derived from drie three and luik panel or door.

Historically, drieluiken were a dominant format in medieval and Renaissance Northern Europe, especially in the Low Countries. They were used as altarpieces in churches and chapels, and sometimes as portable devotional works. The central panel often displayed the main religious scene, with the wings showing related narratives or saints. The form allowed a narrative sequence and seasonal or liturgical changes in presentation.

Notable examples include Bosch's Garden of Earthly Delights, a late 15th–early 16th century triptych, and other Dutch and Flemish works such as The Haywain Triptych and various altarpieces. The format persisted into later periods and influenced modern triptychs in secular art as well.

In contemporary art, the triptych remains a common format for exploring related themes across three canvases or panels. The term drieluik is still used in Dutch-language art history to describe such three-panel works, whether traditional religious subjects or modern interpretations.