A triptych was a piece of art most commonly used to adorn altars in churches from the Middle Ages onwards. The word triptych, pronounced 'trip–tick' comes from the Greek for 'tri' meaning three and 'tych' meaning fold. This sums up the object completely as triptychs were always divided into three sections and hinged together.

The central panel of a triptych often holds the most significance and is generally flanked either side by two related paintings. In the case of this triptych the wings at either side of the central panel depict two female saints – on the left is Saint Catherine with crown, sword and broken wheel, while the right wing shows St. Barbara with her symbol, a tower, appearing in the distance behind her.

The central panel itself depicts the Holy family in a palatial Flemish house, with Mary sewing in the foreground and Joseph feeding the Christ child with the help of an angel further back. This is an unusual portrayal of the Holy Family as artists generally liked to depict the relationship between the Virgin Mother and her son. The fact that it is Jesus' foster father, Joseph, feeding the Christ child indicates the significance placed on fatherhood in the family.

The Church wanted to show that while Joseph was not Jesus' biological father he served as a father in every other way. As a result Joseph was held up as role model for fathers; an appealing concept during the Middle Ages when wars, epidemics and famine created instability and called for the heads of families to be especially courageous.