Often small and depicting religious images as well as portraits of donors, the diptychs were painted by such Renaissance masters such as Jan van Eyck, Hugo van der Goes, Hans Memling, and Rogier van der Weyden. After closing in Washington, the exhibition will travel to the only other venue worldwide: the Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten in Antwerp, from March 3 through May 27, 2007.

The diptych was a popular art form in a dynamic hub of art and commerce that includes areas that are now known as parts of present-day Flanders, Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg, and France. Diptychs consist of two hinged panels that open and close like a book. A large part of the diptych's appeal lies in the compelling relationship between the two paintings. Often the subject of one painting represented scenes from the Life of Christ, while the donor's portrait appeared on the facing panel.

Since 1997 curators and conservators have been investigating the mysteries surrounding these fragile objects, uncovering evidence about how they were made and their origins. The findings will be presented in the exhibition and its accompanying catalogue and programs.

"We are delighted to provide our visitors with a rare opportunity to discover and learn about this fascinating art form," said Earl A. Powell III, director, National Gallery of Art. "This unprecedented exhibition would not be possible without the generosity of many lenders, both individual collectors and museums from around the world, as well as a generous grant from the Getty Foundation which supported much of the technical investigations."

Prayers and Portraits: Unfolding the Netherlandish Diptych was organized by the National Gallery of Art, Washington, and the Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunstsen, Antwerp, in association with the Harvard University Art Museums, Cambridge. -- www.nga.gov