Frames and supports in 15th and 16th-century Southern Netherlandish painting

MASTERS AND MASTERPIECES: The Anchin Polyptych 261 2. The deployment in three programmes and the wheeled mechanism The altarpiece presented three successive stages of exhibition (closed, open, exposing the reliquary). The diagrams will help the reader understand the essential workings of the mechanism that permitted the exposure of the reliquary (fig. 132). Fig. 132. Reconstitution of the articulation of the painted parts of the Anchin altarpiece. a. The painted altarpiece consists of five pieces, with two wings intended to be attached to the inside stiles of the frames. The two lateral parts were probably attached on each side to the safekeeping box containing the reliquary. The panel with the Trinity formed the cover of the box. b. In a first position, the altarpiece presented the wings folded towards the centre. In this case, the front part protruded slightly. c. In a second position the wings were folded back against the side parts, with the whole perfectly aligned. d. In order to expose the reliquary, the side parts (the mobility of which was provided by little wheels perpendicular to the plane of the painting) were pushed back, and the Trinity was rolled to the left on little wheels parallel with the painting. Seven original wooden wheels allow the frames to move. We know of no other paintings of the period equipped with these. The two wide lateral parts of the altarpiece are fitted with little wheels under/in the lower rail only (one wheel to the right, two to the left), perpendicular to the plane of the painting (fig. 133a). This tells us that the side parts were pushed backwards. a c b d