reredos
Noun: 1. An ornamental screen or wall decoration behind an altar: A reredos is a large, often elaborate, structure placed against the wall behind an altar in a church. It is typically made of stone, wood, or metal and is decorated with paintings, carvings, or sculptures depicting religious scenes, figures, or symbols.
The word "reredos" is a specialized architectural and ecclesiastical term. It is used to describe a specific feature found primarily in Christian churches, especially in Anglican, Catholic, and other liturgical traditions. It serves both a decorative and a devotional purpose, drawing attention to the altar.
- Noun:
- The magnificent carved reredos in the cathedral dates back to the 15th century.
- Conservators worked for years to restore the fragile paintings on the medieval reredos.
- The simple stone church had a plain reredos with a single cross.
- Historical Context: The use and elaboration of the reredos became particularly prominent in the Gothic and Renaissance periods in Europe.
- Distinction from Altarpiece: While often used interchangeably with "altarpiece," a reredos is specifically attached to or built into the wall behind the altar, whereas an altarpiece can be a movable structure.
- Altarpiece (n): A work of art, such as a painting or sculpture, placed on, behind, or above an altar. This is a close synonym, though with a subtle distinction as noted above.
- Retable (n): A similar decorative structure placed on the altar itself or on a ledge behind it. This term is sometimes used synonymously with reredos.
- Altar screen
- Retable (in some contexts)
- Altarpiece (in some contexts)
There is no direct antonym, as it is a specific object. A conceptual opposite might be: - Blank wall: An undecorated space behind an altar.
The word "reredos" originates from the Anglo-Norman French areredos, from arere "behind" + dos "back." It is a low-frequency word encountered mainly in architectural, art historical, or religious contexts.
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a painted or carved screen placed above and behind an altar or communion table
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