Areredos (/ˈrɪərˌdɒs,ˈrɪərɪ-,ˈrɛrɪ-/REER-dos,REER-ih-,RERR-ih-) is a largealtarpiece, a screen, or decoration placed behind thealtar in achurch. It often includesreligious images.
The termreredos may also be used for similar structures, if elaborate, in secular architecture, for example very grand carvedchimneypieces.[1] It also refers to a simple, low stone wall placed behind ahearth.
A reredos can be made of stone, wood, metal,ivory, or a combination of materials. The images may be painted, carved,gilded, composed ofmosaics, and/or embedded withniches forstatues. Sometimes atapestry or another fabric such assilk orvelvet is used.
Reredos isderived throughMiddle English from the 14th-century Anglo-Normanareredos, which in turn is from arere 'behind' + dos 'back', fromLatindorsum. (Despite its appearance, the first part of the word is not formed by doubling the prefix "re-", but by an archaic spelling of "rear".) In the 14th and 15th centuries the term referred generally to an open hearth of a fireplace or to a screen placed behind a table, then became nearlyobsolete until it was revived in the 19th century.
The termreredos is sometimes confused with the termretable. While areredos generally forms or covers the wall behind an altar,[2] aretable is placed either on the altar or immediately behind and attached to the altar. "Many altars have both a reredos and a retable."[3] But this distinction may not always be observed. The retable may have become part of the reredos when an altar was moved away from the wall. For altars that are against the wall, the retable often sits on top of the altar, at the back, particularly when there is no reredos (in which case adossal curtain or something similar is used instead of a reredos). The retable may hold flowers and candlesticks.
InFrench (and sometimes inEnglish by confusing the terms), a reredos is called aretable; inSpanish aretablo, etc.
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![Altarpiece and lateral reredos in the Church of Santa Rosa de Lima in Morelia, Mexico, built in the late 18th century[4]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aTemplo_de_Santa_Rosa_de_Lima_(de_las_Rosas)_en_Morelia%2c_Michoac%25C3%25A1n_(6011826833).jpg)
![Despenser reredos at Norwich Cathedral, UK[5]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aDespenser_Retable%2c_Norwich_Cathedral%2c_England.jpg)
