The word "diptych" comes from two ancient Greek δύο - "two" + πτῠχή - "tablet, tablet." In ancient Greece and Rome were used to record various information. A diptych is two wooden, metal or bone tablets connected to each other. Records were kept in the inner folds, while the outer part could be decorated in various ways. In addition to them, there existed such “notebooks” with three or more tablets and were called triptychs (with three), tetriptychs (four), pentaptichs (five), and such tablets generally had the name polyptych from the word πολύ-πτῠχος - “multi-table”, or consisting of many plates.
Consular Folds
In Byzantium, such tablets were handed over to consuls upon entering service. The oldest known consular diptych was made in 406, with the last found dating back to 541. They were large in size. A list of consuls was placed on the inside, and the customer of the diptych himself was depicted on the outside (cover). Partially consular tablets were used as boards for the altar gospel and other church books.
Orthodoxy
In the church environment, the diptych is a list of autocephalous Orthodox churches, as well as their sequence of commemoration during divine services. On this basis, seats are allocated during the congregation of the heads and representatives of the Churches, during their presence in Orthodox forums, cathedrals and other general events. Diptych is the basis of church etiquette.
Thanks to religion, consular warehouses were preserved, as they were kept by churches and decorated with enamel, gold and precious stones. Subsequently, in diptychs, they began to depict Jesus Christ, the Mother of God, the apostles and illustrations of the events of the sacred history. In the Ancient Church, double tablets of various types were created, among which were:
- Martyrology - lists of martyrs and saints.
- Baptismal diptychs - with the names of newly baptized persons.
- Lists of living Christians are usually the names of the local bishop and bishops, clergy, and other members of the church community.
- Lists of departed Christians, in which the names of the reposed bishops, deacons, elders and clergy of the local community were entered.
- Episcopal lists with the names of bishops, living or deceased.
Modern time
At present, diptych is a composition of two photographs consisting of different or two parts of one image. This creates the opportunity to express meaning and emotions. Two complementary images telling the same story, but from different angles.
There are not very many photographers involved in this way of self-expression, but there are interesting works among them.
You yourself can learn how to create a diptych using two photographs taken at different times. At the same time, such a photograph has its own story, which can be expressed without words.
There are also artists who paint diptychs, which, in fact, are two paintings located next to each other.
Artists exhibit their paintings in galleries next to each other, when selling paintings, it is recommended not to change places so as not to distort the author’s intention. This is what diptych means in modern times.