altarpiece meaning

Noun: altarpiece  'oltur`pees

1. A painted or carved screen placed above and behind an altar or communion table
   - reredos

Derived forms: altarpieces

Type of: screen

Encyclopedia: Altarpiece

[Architecture]

A decorative screen, painting, or sculpture above the back of an altar.

Examples

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1. Outbursts of iconoclasm locally led to the destruction of many altarpieces.
2. She did not receive any of the lucrative commissions for altarpieces.
3. It contains objects such as wooden sculptures, altarpieces and crucifixes.
4. Other altarpieces by Sacchi are in Perugia, Foligno and Camerino.
5. There are some altarpieces in a profuse baroque fashion as well.