#altarpieces

[7pleiades7]

Michael the Archangel and St. Agnes (n/d) by Colijn de Coter (Flemish, c. 1440–1445 – c. 1522–1532), oil on panel

[devtschemark]

Polyptiek van het Heilig Sacrament

by Dieric Bouts (Brabantian, ca. 1415 – 1475) oil on panel, 1464

Sint-Pieterskerk, Leuven

[d3utschem4rk]

[lunosphere]

Hilma af Klint (Swedish, 1862–1944) Group X, Altarpieces, 1915 Oil and metal leaf on canvas

[resultsofimagination]

Group X, Altarpiece No. 1 - Hilma af Klimt (1915)

[whencyclopedia]

Renaissance Altarpieces

During the Renaissance (1400-1600) just about any artist of worth found themselves commissioned at some point in their careers to produce an altarpiece. Some of the greatest names in European art were so called upon, from Jan van Eyck to Titian. Designed to stand behind or actually on the altars within churches, altarpieces could be composed of painted panels, sculptures or both. They were designed to wow the congregation with striking images of the Bible story, and so spectacular were some of these works that they were kept closed or even hidden for most of the year, only to be fully revealed on very special occasions like Easter and Christmas.

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[solnunquamoccidit]

Ciudad de los Reyes - Catedral Metropolitana de San Juan Evangelista Capilla de Santa Ana

13. IX. 14 – photo by me

[kecobe]

Design for an Altarpiece with a Tabernacle for the Holy Sacrament Alonso Cano (Spanish; 1601–1667) ca. 1660–65 Pen and brown ink, brown wash over black chalk The British Museum, London | © Trustees of the British Museum