The altarpiece shows five scenes from the end of Christ's life—his flagellation, his journey to the cross, his crucifixion, events that follow his burial, and the Ascension.

The reredos is generally considered to have been commissioned by the Bishop of Norwich, Henry Despenser, following the defeat of a rebel peasant army at the Battle of North Walsham in 1381.

Alternative theories have been suggested for the reason for its commission, including that it was made to mark the visit to the city by Richard II of England in 1383, or as thanksgiving for the completion of work done in the cathedral.

Heraldic shields around the frame may represent the families who were involved in suppressing the Peasants' Revolt in East Anglia, or who contributed to the cost of producing the piece.

The Despenser Reredos is a medieval altarpiece used in St Luke's Chapel in Norwich Cathedral,[1] which has been used as a parish church since the 16th century.

[2] The reredos was discovered in the cathedral in 1847, having been converted into a table during the English Reformation,[3] and kept for years in an upper room, with the altarpiece paintings hidden underneath.

It had, accordingly, on the removal of all superstitious imageries, been cut to adapt it to the desired purpose; the painted side being reversed, and by that means rescued from further injury.

It had thus remained long time wholly forgotten, whilst the back of the picture served conveniently as the top of the required table.May's account of the painting did not disclose details about how the artefact was discovered in the chapel room, what the table was being used for when it was found, or its original use in the cathedral.

It was at first considered by experts to be of Italian or German origin, but later specialists believed it to be influenced by French or Bohemian craftsmen—Hope's 1897 account stated that the retable was an example of “genuine English art”, and that it had been made in Norwich.

[8] In contrast, the medieval art historian Pamela Tudor-Craig wrote that there is evidence that the reredos was "executed by local craftsmen".

[10] According to Hope, the shields would have represented local families who had wanted to thank God for the defeat of the rebels at the Battle of North Walsham in June that year,[11] most notably Henry le Despenser, who led the forces against them.

[16] The reredos could have been commissioned by Norwich Cathedral to mark the visit to the city by Richard II of England and his queen Anne of Bohemia in 1383.

[18] According to Tudor-Craig, the purpose of the heraldry on the reredos was to commemorate "not only those who contributed to the altarpiece itself, but those who had helped fund the reconstruction of the eastern arms of the church".

The historian David King considers that “a collective donation by those represented in the heraldry” is the most like means by which the costs of the artefact were met.