winged altarpiece

An altarpiece of many parts decorated with paintings and sculpture. Its monumental examples are the most characteristic achievements of late medieval art. The main parts of winged altarpieces are the wide and low predella, resting directly on the altar table and supporting the case of the altarpiece (or the central panel itself). The movable and immovable wings of the altarpiece are attached to the case from both sides. The whole structure is crowned by an ornamental part. This latter piece sometimes consists of a row triangular paintings, at other times, of a perforated structure reaching up to the ceiling and decorated with statuettes standing on corbels under baldachins. During the Renaissance, also semicircular lunettes were used as crowning ornaments.

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