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There are two common meanings of the word reredos. In general architecture, the word can mean the back of an open hearth of a fireplace or a screen placed behind a table.

In more common religious usage, a reredos (also spelled raredos) is a screen or decoration behind the altar
Altar

An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices and votive offerings are made for religion, or some other sacred place where ceremonies take place....
 in a church, usually depicting religious iconography
Iconography

Iconography is the branch of art history which studies the identification, description, and the interpretation of the content of images. The word iconography literally means "image writing", and comes from the Ancient Greek e???? and ??afe?? ....
 or images also called Altarpiece
Altarpiece

An altarpiece is a picture or relief representing a religious subject and suspended in a frame behind the altar of a church. The altarpiece is often made up of two or more separate panels created using a technique known as panel painting....
.






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Lalique Glass Altarpiece in the Glass Church Jersey
There are two common meanings of the word reredos. In general architecture, the word can mean the back of an open hearth of a fireplace or a screen placed behind a table.

In more common religious usage, a reredos (also spelled raredos) is a screen or decoration behind the altar
Altar

An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices and votive offerings are made for religion, or some other sacred place where ceremonies take place....
 in a church, usually depicting religious iconography
Iconography

Iconography is the branch of art history which studies the identification, description, and the interpretation of the content of images. The word iconography literally means "image writing", and comes from the Ancient Greek e???? and ??afe?? ....
 or images also called Altarpiece
Altarpiece

An altarpiece is a picture or relief representing a religious subject and suspended in a frame behind the altar of a church. The altarpiece is often made up of two or more separate panels created using a technique known as panel painting....
. It can be made of stone, wood, metal, ivory
Ivory

File:Ivory decoration.jpgIvory is formed from dentine and constitutes the bulk of the teeth and tusks of animals such as the elephant, hippopotamus, walrus, mammoth and narwhal....
, or a combination of materials. The images may be painted, carved, gilded
Gilding

Gilding is the technique of applying a thin layer of gold to a surface. Gilding is performed through a mechanical process, known as leafing, or using one of many chemical processes....
, composed of mosaic
Mosaic

Mosaic is the art of creating images with an assemblage of small pieces of colored glass, stone, or other material. It may be a technique of Decorative arts, an aspect of interior decoration or of cultural and spiritual significance as in a cathedral....
s, and/or embedded with niche
Niche (architecture)

The niche is ouner place in classical architecture is an exedra or an apse that has been reduced in size, retaining the half-dome heading usual for an apse....
s for statue
Statue

A statue is a sculpture in the round representing a person or persons, an animal, or an event, normally full-length, as opposed to a Bust , and at least close to life-size, or larger....
s. Sometimes a tapestry
Tapestry

Tapestry is a form of textile art. It is Weaving by hand on a vertical loom. It is weft-faced weaving, in which all the warp threads are hidden in the completed work, unlike cloth weaving where both the warp and the weft threads may be visible....
 is used, or other fabric such as silk
Silk

Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be weaving into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from Pupa#Cocoons made by the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity ....
 or velvet
Velvet

File:Ottoman cover.jpgVelvet is a type of tufted textile in which the cut yarns are very evenly distributed, with a short dense pile, giving it a distinct feel....
.

The term is derived
Etymology

Etymology is the study of the roots and history of words; and how their form and meaning have changed over time.In languages with a long detailed history, etymology makes use of philology, the study of how words change from culture to culture over time....
 from the a Middle English term which is derived from an Anglo-Norman 14th century term areredos, from arere behind +dos back, from Latin dorsum. In French and sometimes in English, this is called a retable
Retable

A retable is a term of Christian art and church architecture, applied in modern English usage to an altar-ledge or shelf, raised slightly above the back of the altar or Mass #The Communion rite table, on which are placed the cross, ceremonial candlestick and other ornaments....
 (in Spain a retablo etc).

The usage of the term, and distinction with retable
Retable

A retable is a term of Christian art and church architecture, applied in modern English usage to an altar-ledge or shelf, raised slightly above the back of the altar or Mass #The Communion rite table, on which are placed the cross, ceremonial candlestick and other ornaments....
, in English (especially Anglican usage) differs from that in other languages. Many English "reredoses" would be called "retables" elsewhere.

The retable may have become part of the reredos when an altar was moved away from the wall. For altars that are still against the wall, the retable often sits on top of the altar, at the back, particularly when there is no reredos (a dossal curtain or something similar is used instead). The retable is also where the altar cross, flowers and "office light" type candlesticks sit.

Although the term dates back to the 14th and 15th centuries, it was nearly obsolete
Obsolescence

Obsolescence is the state of being which occurs when a person, object, or service is no longer wanted even though it may still be in good working order....
 until revived in the 19th century.

Examples from various churches


See also

  • Altarpiece
    Altarpiece

    An altarpiece is a picture or relief representing a religious subject and suspended in a frame behind the altar of a church. The altarpiece is often made up of two or more separate panels created using a technique known as panel painting....
  • Retablo
    Retablo

    A retablo is painting typically done on a wood carving. This is a different meaning from the original one in Spanish, which still applies in Spain, and is equivalent to retable in English....