TRIPTYCHa Mystery (Part 1The Painting) deals with a well known biblical figure during several incarnations through which he finally achieves complete self awareness and self-acceptance. It is a self contained novel within a larger three part structure including Part 2 (Preliminary Studies) and Part 3 (Afterimages), which though formally related to Part and dealing with the creative process, but telling their own storiesare not printed here. Part 1The Painting is written in its own three part structure and is in the form of a mystery storyto which the word, mystery, is to be applied in more than one definition: To begin with it is not a Whodunit? but Whoisit? And though the answer to this question should become apparent by halfway through the work, the final denouement can be perceived as either diabolical or holyor bothdepending upon the readers point of view.