From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
A polyptych (from the Greek polu- "many" + ptychē "fold") generally refers to a painting which is divided into four or more sections. (The term diptych is used to describe a two-part painting and the term triptych describes a three-part painting.)
Polyptychs were most common with Renaissance painters, especially those who painted in a religious style. The majority of polyptychs were designed to be altarpieces in churches and cathedrals.
Examples of polyptychs include:
- Polyptych of the Misericordia (1445-1462) by Piero della Francesca
- The Last Judgment Polyptych (c. 1450) by Rogier van der Weyden
- Saint Augustine Polyptych (1470) by Perugino
- St. Dominic Polyptych (1506-08) by Lorenzo Lotto
