Reredos
A reredos (/ˈrɪərˌdɒs, ˈrɪərɪ-, ˈrɛrɪ-/ REER-dos, REER-ih-, RERR-ih-) is a large altarpiece, a screen, or decoration placed behind the altar in a church. It often includes religious images.
The term reredos may also be used for similar structures, if elaborate, in secular architecture, for example very grand carved
.Description
A reredos can be made of stone, wood, metal,
Derivation and history of the term
Reredos is
Reredos vs retable
The term reredos is sometimes confused with the term retable. While a reredos generally forms or covers the wall behind an altar,[2] a retable is placed either on the altar or immediately behind and attached to the altar. "Many altars have both a reredos and a retable."[3] But this distinction may not always be observed. The retable may have become part of the reredos when an altar was moved away from the wall. For altars that are against the wall, the retable often sits on top of the altar, at the back, particularly when there is no reredos (in which case a dossal curtain or something similar is used instead of a reredos). The retable may hold flowers and candlesticks.
In French (and sometimes in English by confusing the terms), a reredos is called a retable; in Spanish a retablo, etc.
Gallery
-
New College, Oxford Chapel reredos, UK -
Altar of TheBasilica of Our Lady of the Pillar in Zaragoza -
Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, Tarancón. -
Holy Trinity Church, West Bromwich, war memorial for World War I. -
The "Grand Retablo", Mission Basilica San Juan Capistrano. -
Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis, Santa Fe, New Mexico -
-
Plain altarpiece painting -
ModernSaint Matthew's Church ("the Glass Church"), Millbrook, Jersey. -
Grace Church in New York Reredos, Grace Church (Manhattan). -
![Altarpiece and lateral reredos in the Church of Santa Rosa de Lima in Morelia, Mexico, built in the late 18th century.[4]](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6e/Templo_de_Santa_Rosa_de_Lima_%28de_las_Rosas%29_en_Morelia%2C_Michoac%C3%A1n_%286011826833%29.jpg/160px-Templo_de_Santa_Rosa_de_Lima_%28de_las_Rosas%29_en_Morelia%2C_Michoac%C3%A1n_%286011826833%29.jpg)
-
![Despenser reredos at Norwich Cathedral, UK.[5]](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fc/Despenser_Retable%2C_Norwich_Cathedral%2C_England.jpg/160px-Despenser_Retable%2C_Norwich_Cathedral%2C_England.jpg)
Despenser reredos at Norwich Cathedral, UK.[5]
.jpg)
![Altarpiece and lateral reredos in the Church of Santa Rosa de Lima in Morelia, Mexico, built in the late 18th century.[4]](/File:Templo_de_Santa_Rosa_de_Lima_(de_las_Rosas)_en_Morelia,_Michoac%C3%A1n_(6011826833).jpg)
![Despenser reredos at Norwich Cathedral, UK.[5]](/File:Despenser_Retable,_Norwich_Cathedral,_England.jpg)
See also
References
- ISBN 0838935648, 9780838935644
- ISBN 978-0-334-04932-6.
- ^ Art & Architecture Thesaurus Online "Retable"
- ^ "TEMPLO DE SANTA ROSA DE LIMA (TEMPLO DE LAS ROSAS)". michoacan.travel.
- ISBN 978-0415144261. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
External links
- "Reredos" in the Encyclopædia Britannica
