Figure 1.--Here we have a 13th century Spanish painted three-pannel altarpiece (triptych). (One source suggests it may be French.) We do not know ther church for which it was done. This was a common way of doing altar pieces. Here we see the left wing which depicts the three kings (magis). The image is especially interesting because it shows the way stockings were sometimes supported as early as the 13th century. Note the polkadot stockings. The three kings who visited the Christ Child in Bethlehem to present their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. While they are deffered to as the three kings, Zoriastrian priests seem nore likely if you accept the historidicity of the Biblical account. They wear long, thigh-length hosiery supported by straps suspended apparently from the waist--an obvious precursor of the hose supporter. Here is a black and whire drawing which for some reason leaves out the center magi. It pictures only Caspar and Melchior. Put your cursor on the image to a black and white drawing which greater detail. Put your cursor on the imsage to see the original pannel. The triptych is a part of the collection of the Episcopal Museum of Barcelona.

A triptych derives its name from the the gree for "three" and "fold") and is of art which is divided into three sections, called pannels. The two wings are sometimes called shutters. They are usually panel painting, but we have also seen carved pt cast metal triptych. The three panels are hinged together and folded. Triptych are the most common, on part because three is a particularly important number in Christinity, sigifying the Dather, Son, and Holy Ghost. The middle panel is the largest and most important, flanked typically by two smaller pannels. As in virtually all medieval art, the tritych were done for the church and served a religious function. They were primaryily done as portable altar pieces, although quite a few were also reliquaries. The triptych in an age in which most people were illiterate and books very expensive, commonly told a story or illustrated importnt tenants of religious theology. Most early images make it impossible to determine if medieval men are wearing long stockings or tights. Only a few period illustrations offers some clues. The triptych pannel here is especially interesting because it shows the way stockings were sometimes supported as early as the 13th century

Medieval Triptych

A triptych derives its name from the the gree for "three" and "fold") and is of art which is divided into three sections, called pannels. The two wings are sometimes called shutters. They are usually panel painting, but we have also seen carved pt cast metal triptych. The three panels are hinged together and folded. It is thus one example of a polyptych, all multi-panel works. Triptych are the most common, on part because three is a particularly important number in Christinity, sigifying the Dather, Son, and Holy Ghost. The middle panel is the largest and most important, flanked typically by two smaller pannels. As in virtually all medieval art, the tritych were done for the church and served a religious function. They were primaryily dne as portable altar pieces, although quite a few were also reliquaries. The triptych in an age in which most people were illiterate and books very expensive, commonly told a story or illustrated importnt tenants of religious theology. In this sence the triptych rather were structured like modern comic strips with each pannel making up part of the story. Unlike comics they were not read from right to left, but the congregant began in the center which was the principal fixture. The triptych developed out of the art of the early church. They were part of the artistic legacy of both the Byzabtine and Roman church. We also see Celtic tritychs. We see Roman Catholic trityches from France, England, Germany, Italy, Spain, and other countries. The nost beautiful triptychs came from the Rebaissance in the late medieval period. The Cologne School of Germany produced some of the best known tritychs. The late medieval titychs were produced in the early 16th century.

Unidentified Nativity Triptych

Here we have a 13th century Spanish painted three-pannel altarpiece triptych (figure 1). (One source suggests it may be French.) We do not know ther church for which it was done. This was a common way of doing altar pieces. The entire tritych must have ceklebrated the nativity. Here we see the left wing which depicts the three kings (magis). The three kings who visited the Christ Child in Bethlehem to present their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. While they are deffered to as the three kings, Zoriastrian priests seem nore likely if you accept the historidicity of the Biblical account. They wear long, thigh-length hosiery supported by straps suspended apparently from the waist--an obvious precursor of the hose supporter. We have also found a black and whire drawing which for some reason leaves out the center magi. It pictures only Caspar and Melchior. Put your cursor on the image to a black and white drawing which greater detail. The triptych is a part of the collection of the Episcopal Museum of Barcelona.

Reader Comments

The black and white version must be a later copy that for some unbknown reason omits the second (middle) image. I think we acquired the black and white version first with information that it is French, perhaps because that version is located in some French Museum (possibly the Cluny Museum in Paris, which specialized in Medieval art). I suspect however that the artist was French rather than Spanish. I believe that the colored and probably earlier version is now in Barcelona (at the Episcopal Museum of that city). I doubt that the painting is Spanish, although this is possible. I think the Spanish label comes from its present location in Spain. But these are just guesses. Like almost all medieval art, the painting is probably anonymous. It is said to be part of a painted wooden panel, originally made very likely as an altar piece or reredos. The painting is pretty obviously from the 13th century, an age in which it was customary to depict biblical characters in contemporary (i.e., "modern") dress.

13th Century Hosiery

Most early images make it impossible to determine if medieval men are wearing long stockings or tights. Only a few period illustrations offers some clues. The triptych pannel here is especially interesting because it shows the way stockings were sometimes supported as early as the 13th century (figure 1). Note the polkadot stockings. We know that most medieval leggings which covered most of the upper thigh, or even the entire thigh, were not made with a seat like modern tights. Rather they were very long stockings that were held in place by attachment to a shirt or waistband, usually by means of strings (called "points") or by straps, the medieval precursors of modern hose supposers.

Created: 2:42 AM 1/7/2006
Last updated: 12:11 AM 7/7/2007