Editing Polyptych (section)

== History and development ==
Whilst the polyptych originated as a form of sacred art, as a term to describe art in general, it can be seen to encompass any work of art constituted by multiple pieces of art such as sculpture, photography, or video and text-based art forms.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Polyptych - National Portrait Gallery |url=https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/explore/glossary-of-art-terms/polyptych |access-date=2023-05-09 |website=www.npg.org.uk}}</ref>

In [[Renaissance art|European Renaissance painting]], a polyptych is often seen in a devotional setting, often found as [[altarpiece]]s. Whilst the precise origins of polyptychal art is uncertain, the earliest examples have been described as coming from Italy in the early 14th century. The development of Church art in the 13th century saw a fusing of the Byzantine [[iconostasis]] with the [[Gothic architecture|Gothic architectural style]]. These twin influences resulted in something resembling the Renaissance polyptych that is recognisable today. The work of [[Duccio di Buoninsegna]], who was active in [[Siena]] in the early-to-mid 14th century offers early examples of the polyptych form, with the early [[Italo-Byzantine]] influences. 
[[File:Duccio di buoninsegna, polittico da s. m. della scala.JPG|thumb|Duccio di Buoninsegna, ''Polyptych no. 47'' , 1315–1319, tempera and gold on wood, from the now lost church of the Hospital of Santa Maria della Scala in Siena, Siena, Pinacoteca Nazionale]]

By the Renaissance, both large altarpiece polyptychs and smaller domestic ones were falling out of fashion, partly because artists preferred to paint single scenes with a unified background, but [[Rubens]] still painted some very large winged altarpieces in the early 17th century, such as his [[The Descent from the Cross (Rubens, 1612–1614)|''Descent from the Cross'']] triptych, of 1612–1614, in [[Antwerp Cathedral]], which also has his ''Raising of the Cross'' and [[Resurrection (Rubens, Antwerp)|''Resurrection'']] triptychs, of similar date.  By this time this format was unusual.

[[Sean Scully]] describes a number of his paintings as triptychs, such as the paintings "Demo Logic Red" and "To Be With".