The Triptych

[Paul Ferguson]

"During the Medieval and Renaissance periods, patrons commissioned chapels as a conspicuous yet pious method of displaying their wealth and social status. One example is Enrico Scrovegni’s Arena Chapel in Padua, painted by Giotto. However, others preferred the religious altarpiece, either painted or sculpted. Altarpieces such as the Portinari and the Frari triptychs reflected well on the bankers and businessmen who commissioned them. In later centuries, though, the art of triptych evolved. What was a grand gesture in Renaissance society provided an alternative avenue of expression for contemporary artists."

Discusses, inter alia, Bosch's 'Garden of Earthly Delights'.

https://www.thecollector.com/history-triptych/