Trinity
Erikan Attah
Instructor David Fouser
Humanities Core
January 21st, 2013
An analysis of Divinity Related to Humanity in Masaccio’s Holy Trinity Under the Renaissance humanity experienced a development of its own knowledge; during these times many experienced a greater influence from culture, politics, philosophy, religion, art, and science. From his Renaissance era painting, The Holy Trinity, Masaccio shows an evident physical separation between the characters of the physical/mortal world and the characters of the Holy Trinity and places his vantage point right above the image of an inhumed skeleton. This shows that although God maybe an infinite and everlasting being, all of humanity in a sense must still experience death no matter how much faith you have in him. Certain aspects of Masaccio’s work like his depiction of god in a human like state, added in with a color scheme in the garments worn by both the mortals and God give hints at a possible connection amid divinity and humanity. On the other hand, one can also say that the attention given to death by the placing of the vantage point shows that divinity has an undeniable dominion of immortality in of that which humanity will never be able to procure on its own. By using linear perspective and a rational approach in the aspect of placing certain figures and characters within the painting, Masaccio produces an ambience within The Holy Trinity that gives a feeling of outright and absolute mortality in the viewer, but also a constant reminder of the differences amid the humane and the divine. There are seven figures present in The Holy Trinity, the two church patrons, the Virgin Mary, St. John, Jesus, the Holy Ghost, and God. Supposing, the two church patrons are the ones who paid for the creation of the painting. The most distinguished thing that Masaccio did in this painting was his very realistic representation of God which many artists didn’t practice at the time. Masaccio’s God is one
Instructor David Fouser
Humanities Core
January 21st, 2013
An analysis of Divinity Related to Humanity in Masaccio’s Holy Trinity Under the Renaissance humanity experienced a development of its own knowledge; during these times many experienced a greater influence from culture, politics, philosophy, religion, art, and science. From his Renaissance era painting, The Holy Trinity, Masaccio shows an evident physical separation between the characters of the physical/mortal world and the characters of the Holy Trinity and places his vantage point right above the image of an inhumed skeleton. This shows that although God maybe an infinite and everlasting being, all of humanity in a sense must still experience death no matter how much faith you have in him. Certain aspects of Masaccio’s work like his depiction of god in a human like state, added in with a color scheme in the garments worn by both the mortals and God give hints at a possible connection amid divinity and humanity. On the other hand, one can also say that the attention given to death by the placing of the vantage point shows that divinity has an undeniable dominion of immortality in of that which humanity will never be able to procure on its own. By using linear perspective and a rational approach in the aspect of placing certain figures and characters within the painting, Masaccio produces an ambience within The Holy Trinity that gives a feeling of outright and absolute mortality in the viewer, but also a constant reminder of the differences amid the humane and the divine. There are seven figures present in The Holy Trinity, the two church patrons, the Virgin Mary, St. John, Jesus, the Holy Ghost, and God. Supposing, the two church patrons are the ones who paid for the creation of the painting. The most distinguished thing that Masaccio did in this painting was his very realistic representation of God which many artists didn’t practice at the time. Masaccio’s God is one
Cited: Genesis (Bereishit). The Human and Its Others Humanities Core Course Guide and Reader. Ed. David Pan. Boston, MA: Pearson Learning Solutions, 2012. Print. Masaccio. The Holy Trinity. 1427. Santa Maria Novella, Florence. ARTstor. Web. 28 November 2010.