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retable

Retable is a term used in art history to denote the decorative screen, panel, or back structure of an altarpiece behind the altar in Christian churches. It may function as the central narrative panel or as the architectural backdrop and can be either a freestanding polyptych or built into the wall. In English usage, retable is often treated as synonymous with reredos, though some scholars distinguish a retable as the painted or sculpted centerpieces of the altar’s backdrop, while a reredos refers to the broader screen or structure.

The term originates from French retable, meaning altarpiece, and has been adopted into English scholarship to

Retables were prominent from the late medieval period through the Baroque era across Western Europe. They commonly

In modern times, many retables survive as artifacts in churches and museums, where they are studied for

See also: altarpiece, reredos, polyptych.

describe
this
specific
component
of
altar
design.
featured
religious
imagery—saints,
scenes
from
the
life
of
Christ,
or
the
Virgin
Mary—rendered
in
wood
carving,
painting,
gilding,
or
a
combination
of
media.
The
style
and
complexity
of
retables
vary
by
region,
reflecting
local
artistic
traditions
and
liturgical
practices.
their
iconography,
workshop
practices,
and
material
technology.
Conservation
aims
to
preserve
painted
surfaces,
polychromy,
and
structural
integrity
of
the
altarpiece
and
its
surrounding
canopy
or
frame.