The Dominican Church of Santa Maria Novella in Florence is where you may find the Holy Trinity artwork.
The Holy Trinity (c. 1425–1428) by Masaccio
In the basilica’s left aisle, in the middle, lies the artwork.
Even though the room’s layout has changed significantly since the mural was first installed, there is strong evidence that the mural was precisely matched to the current visual range and viewpoint configuration of the space, particularly a closed entrance-way facing the artwork, to enhance the trompe-l’oeil effect.
The circumstances of the commission are not well documented, and there is no recent evidence that the altar-patron pieces have been found. The donors depicted in the fresco — one on either side of the arch — have not yet been recognized.
The individuals depicted are very certainly contemporary Florentines; either the sponsors of the picture or the individuals’ relatives or close acquaintances.
According to accepted standards for such depictions, it is generally believed (though not universally) that they were probably still alive when the painting was commissioned.
The patrons depicted in The Holy Trinity (c. 1425–1428) by Masaccio; Masaccio
Evidently, the portrayals in the artwork are quite accurate replicas of how they actually appeared at the time their photos were created.
The two local homes most frequently mentioned in connection with their identification are the Lenzi family and, for at least one of the characters, a member of the Berti family, a working-class family from Florence’s Santa Maria Novella neighborhood.
They had a burial near the base of the picture, and it has been suggested that they had a specific “spiritual loyalty” to the devotion of the “The Holy Trinity” artwork, according to recently discovered Berti household papers.
Other references mention a Lenzi crypt near the altar with the epitaph “Domenico di Lenzo, et Suorum 1426,” as well as other Lenzi family decorations in the chapel at the time. Based on the full-profile poses used for the characters, it is assumed that the donor portrayals are posthumous portraits of Domenico.
The Latin inscription on the sarcophagus is: “What you are, I was once me; what I am, you will be once” — an indication of the transience of all earthly existence
A detail of The Holy Trinity (c. 1425–1428) by Masaccio.
According to the records, Domenico passed away on January 19, 1427, using the Florentine calendar system of the day. Domenico would have died on March 25, 1427, in accordance with the date format of the time, given the change from Julian to Gregorian timelines.
It has been conjectured that Filippo Brunelleschi played a significant role in the creation of the “Trinity” artwork, or at the very least provided advice.
As may be observed in Massacio’s works, Brunelleschi’s knowledge of linear perspectives and design had a significant impact on the artist.
Another person, Fra’ Alessio, has been given credit for his work, which is principally stated in terms of the Holy Trinity painting’s accurate portrayal in line with the Dominican order’s preferences and sensibilities.
The depiction of a three-dimensional landscape in this picture is frequently regarded as Masaccio’s pinnacle of creative achievement. Because of how accurate the perspective is, modern academics have been able to use digital technology to build a 3D model of the fictitious environment shown in the image.
LEFT: Scheme of linear perspective in Masaccio’s The Holy Trinity (c. 1425–1428); RIGHT: Scheme of perspective in Masaccio’s The Holy Trinity (c. 1425–1428)
Masaccio’s exceptional draughtsmanship enables him to create a scene that is so realistic that it appears as though the crucifixion is happening right in front of the viewer, within the cathedral.
Because of this, the image has an intensity that instantly connects the viewer to Christ’s suffering as both a God and a regular person.
The Holy Trinity (c. 1425–1428) by Masaccio on the wall of the right aisle of the Basilica di Santa Maria Novella, Florence
A skeleton is contained in the sarcophagus that makes up the tomb. “I was once what it is you are, and which I am you will also be,” is engraved into the wall above the body. This memento mori stresses that the purpose of the artwork was to instruct the viewer.
The image must have conveyed to the faithful of the 15th century that, at the most fundamental level, only their faith in the Trinity and Christ’s death would enable them to transcend their ephemeral reality since they would all perish.
According to American art experts, the picture is like a demonstration in philosophy or mathematics, with the Heavenly Father’s steady gaze acting as the starting point from which all else follows logically.
That concludes our discussion of Masaccio’s “The Holy Trinity.” One of the most famous works of Renaissance art, The Holy Trinity, is on display at Florence’s Santa Maria Novella Dominican cathedral. Like many religious works of art painted in Florence during the Renaissance, it has a secular aspect.
Its use of a single-point linear viewpoint by the artist to organize its composition is what distinguished it as one of the most important Renaissance works from the 15th century.