What does retablo mean?
A retablo is a decorated structure or panel placed behind a church altar, most often forming part of an altarpiece. Its surfaces may carry painted scenes, sculpture, gilding, architectural ornament, or a combination of these features. The term is especially useful in discussions of church interiors, medieval and Renaissance art, and the conservation of wooden or painted altarpieces. Unlike the general word “altarpiece,” “retablo” often evokes a particularly substantial or ornate object and emphasizes its physical form and decoration. In modern church settings, a retablo may be permanent and integrated into the architecture, while in older examples it can consist of multiple hinged sections depicting saints and other sacred subjects. The word is uncommon in everyday speech and is most likely to be encountered in art history, religious architecture, catalogues, and conservation reports.
nounA retablo is an altarpiece, especially an elaborately decorated panel or series of panels forming the backdrop to an altar in a church.
- An elaborate altarpiece or decorative panel behind a Christian altar.
"The cathedral's 16th-century retablo contains carved figures and brilliant gilded details."
"Restorers spent two years repairing the damaged retablo behind the high altar."
"A photograph of the carved wooden retablo appears on the frontispiece of the art history book."
The plural is formed by adding -s.
"Several retablos survive from the original decoration of the chapel."
A retablo turns the wall behind an altar into a monumental work of religious art.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does retablo come from?
The word entered English from Spanish, where retablo denotes an altarpiece. Spanish retablo derives from Medieval Latin retabulum, a compound associated with Latin re- and tabula, the latter meaning a board or table. The same Latin root underlies English words such as table, tabular, and tabulate. Over time, the Spanish term came to be used specifically for a richly decorated panel or set of panels behind an altar.
How retablo is actually used
This is a specialist term used chiefly in architecture, art history, conservation, and descriptions of Christian decorative art. In British usage it is sometimes encountered as a less common alternative to “altarpiece.”