diptych
/ˈdɪptɪk
/noun
1A painting, especially an altarpiece, on two hinged wooden panels which may be closed like a book.David Bierk's long romance with art history was evident in this show of 21 oil paintings, mostly diptychs and triptychs, which included, among other things, reproductions of specific well-known paintings....
- Altarpieces and private devotional diptychs were commissioned from the painters de Beaumetz, Jean Malouel, Henri Bellechose, and Melchior Broederlam, all of whom were court painters at various times.
- Adorned with pearls, distracted or in reverie, a plump child with pointed ears and a pale blue face graces one panel of Diane's Puppies as though unaware of her companion at play in the other panel of the diptych.
2An ancient writing tablet consisting of two hinged leaves with waxed inner sides.
Origin
Early 17th century: via late Latin from late Greek diptukha 'pair of writing tablets', neuter plural of Greek diptukhos 'folded in two', from di- 'twice' + ptukhē 'a fold'.