altarpiece
noun
- artwork (painting, sculpture or relief) behind the altar
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˈɑl.təɹˌpis/ / /ˈæl.təɹˌpis/
noun
Etymology: Etymology tree English altar English piece English altarpiece From altar + piece.
- a work of art suspended above and behind an altar in a church
“I walked across the concrete to examine the altarpiece of the atomic age. A large crack ran through it.”
““It’s this snaggletoothed, little bird-footed homunculus caricature,” Bourneuf said. “Many artists at this time were trying to make new altarpieces. Klee tended to take a very skeptical distance from the sort of grandiose projects of many of his expressionist peers, so I think it’s actually kind of mocking those hopes.””