Imperial diptych Imperial diptych In Late Antiquity, an imperial diptych is a theoretical type of ivory diptych, made up of two leaves of five panels each and each with a central panel representing the emperor or empress. They are so-named in contrast to consular diptychs. They were produced as unique examples, whereas each consular diptych was produced in large numbers to offer to the emperor on certain occasions, principally a nobleman's entry to the consulship. No complete example of an imperial diptych survives and so their existence is contested. The ivories specialist R. Delbrück has theorised that the 19 surviving fragments of
Pesaro Altarpiece (Bellini) and so were created separately and only joined together later. This refers to Venetian funerary monuments of the same era, such as doge Pasquale Malipiero's monument (designed by Pietro Lombardo for Santi Giovanni e Paolo) and Mantegna's San Zeno Altarpiece. Bellini further developed his use of the frame as an integral part of the painting in later works such as the San Giobbe Altarpiece and the Frari Triptych. Pesaro Altarpiece (Bellini) The Pesaro Altarpiece (Italian: "Pala di Pesaro") is an oil on panel painting by Giovanni Bellini, dated to some time between 1471 and 1483. It is considered as one