altarpiece: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

No. While many are painted panels, an altarpiece can also be a carved wooden triptych, a sculpted stone reredos, or even a combination of materials like ivory and metal.

The terms are often used interchangeably, but technically, a retable is a shelf or structure on the back of the altar itself for holding ornaments, while an altarpiece is the larger decorative structure behind the altar. In modern usage, the distinction is frequently blurred.

Typically, no. The term is specific to Christian (especially Catholic and Anglican) church architecture. Similar structures in other religions have different names (e.g., a 'torii' in Shintoism, a 'mihrab' in a mosque).

They were often the most expensive and artistically significant commissions of their time, reflecting contemporary theology, artistic styles, and the patronage of the church. They provide crucial insights into the religious and cultural history of a period.

A work of art, often a painting or sculpture, placed above and behind an altar in a Christian church.

Altarpiece is usually academic, technical, formal in register.

Altarpiece: in British English it is pronounced /ˈɔːl.tə.piːs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈɑːl.tɚ.piːs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.