Diptych, Triptych, Polyptych

The terms diptych, triptych, polyptych refer to art occurring in multiple panels, which may be joined (but not always). The panels may be of the same scene, split into pieces, or they may be separate scenes that are unified by a common theme.

A diptych consists of two panels. A triptych consists of three panels. Often the middle panel is the biggest and this is flanked by two smaller panels, but they can all be the same size too. Polyptych consists of four or more panels.

Garden of Earthly Delights, c.1510 by Hieronymus Bosch is an example of a triptych where the panels are unified by a common theme. The left panel is an Adam and Eve scene. The central panel features debauchery, crazy animals, and oversized fruit. The right panel shows is an illustration of hell and damnation. The panels progress from purity, to sin, to punishment.