A polyptych is a multi-panel painting. The prefix varies, depending on the number of panels: diptych, triptych, quadriptich, etc. Two famous examples of triptychs are 'Three Figures in a Room' by Francis Bacon, and 'The Garden of Earthly Delights' by Hieronymous Bosch. In addition to artwork, diptychs (two panel artworks) served an addition purpose: they were the notebooks of antiquity. The two panels would be connected by a hinge, and inside each panel a layer of wax would be applied. Writing could be etched into the wax, and then when necessary the wax could be heated to remove the etchings and provide a clean slate - effectively an early Etch-A-Sketch. One of the most famous diptychs is the Barberini Ivory, which depicts an unknown figure on horseback. Though it was most likely never intended to be used for writing, on account of its cumbersome weight, the details of the ivory carvings nonetheless make this piece exceptional.
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