The Holy Trinity is a tempera painting created by Spyridon Romas. He was a Greek painter from

Corfu Corfu (, ) or Kerkyra ( el, Κέρκυρα, Kérkyra, , ; ; la, Corcyra.) is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea, of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the margin of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The isl ...

. He was a prominent member of the Heptanese School. He was active from 1745 to 1786. He traveled all over the world. He painted in

Lecce Lecce ( ); el, label=Griko, Luppìu, script=Latn; la, Lupiae; grc, Λουπίαι, translit=Loupíai), group=pron is a historic city of 95,766 inhabitants (2015) in southern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Lecce, the province ...

Livorno Livorno () is a port city on the Ligurian Sea on the western coast of Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno, having a population of 158,493 residents in December 2017. It is traditionally known in English as Leghorn (pronou ...

, and

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

. According to the Hellenic Institute over 25 of his works survived. He is one of the few Greek painters to completely adopt a new style of painting. He traveled to London, England around 1770 and remained in the country until his death. He painted several portraits but also maintained artwork in the region. An iconostasis with most of his works is superlatively preserved in Livorno, Italy at the Museo della Città di Livorno (Museum of the City of Livorno). The

Trinity The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God the F ...

is an integral part of the Christian religion. There have been many interpretations and debates about the subject. The

historically refers to the Father (God), Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit. Countless Greek and Italian painters adopted the subject. Masaccio painted an Italian version known as the

Holy Trinity The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God the F ...

. It was a very popular theme. A notable Greek-style version of the subject was painted in Constantinople around the 1450s by a Greek master. The painting is part of the collection at the Cleveland Museum in the United States. Painters of the

Cretan School Cretan School describes an important school of icon painting, under the umbrella of post-Byzantine art, which flourished while Crete was under Venetian rule during the late Middle Ages, reaching its climax after the Fall of Constantinople, becom ...

and the Heptanese School adopted the theme. Notable versions were painted by

Thomas Bathas Thomas Bathas ( el, Θωμάς Μπαθάς, 1554 – 1599; also known as Tomios or Tomio, Batta Tornio) was a Greek painter, educator, and Vikar. He employed the maniera greca in some of his work but he also broke from tradition by employi ...

Michael Damaskinos Michael Damaskenos or Michail Damaskenos ( el, Μιχαήλ Δαμασκηνός, 1530/35–1592/93) was a leading post-Byzantine Cretan painter. He is a major representative of the Cretan School of painting that flourished in the 16th and 1 ...

Elias Moskos Ilias or Elias Moskos ( el, Ηλίας Μόσκος, 1620/1629- January 26, 1687) was a Greek educator, shipping merchant and painter from Crete. The last name Moskos was associated with three famous painters of the Cretan School alive during the ...

and

Emmanuel Tzanes Emmanuel Tzanes ( el, Εμμανουήλ Τζάνες, 1610 – 28 March 1690), also known as Bounialis ( el, Μπουνιαλής) Emmanuel Tzane-Bounialis, Emmanuel Zane, and Emmanuel Tzane. He was a Greek Renaissance painter. He was an a ...

. In Damaskino's '' Tribute to the Eucharist'' Jesus is sitting on a circular globe with an elaborate decorative motif. The globe and motif were also added to different versions of the Holy Trinity paintings. Roma's also added a similar sphere to his work. The painting is part of the collection at the .

Description

The materials used were tempera paint, gold leaf, and wood panel. The height is 117 cm (46.1 in.) and the width is 78 cm (30.7 in.). Romas completed the work in 1764 for the Trinity Greek Orthodox church in Livorno, Italy. The icon was part of the

iconostasis In Eastern Christianity, an iconostasis ( gr, εἰκονοστάσιον) is a wall of icons and religious paintings, separating the nave from the sanctuary in a Church (building), church. ''Iconostasis'' also refers to a portable icon stand t ...

of the destroyed church. The church was torn down in 1942 because of a city rehabilitation project. The works of art were moved to a museum. The icon has evolved relative to its early predecessors. The painting is in line with comparable works of the Heptanese School. Compared to the Bathas version the figures are more detailed. The folds of fabric feature more realistic lines and grooves. The artist used a refined method of light and shadow. The sphere represents the earth. A cross appears on top of the sphere. Jesus is to our left he is performing the traditional

sign of the cross Making the sign of the cross ( la, signum crucis), or blessing oneself or crossing oneself, is a ritual blessing made by members of some branches of Christianity. This blessing is made by the tracing of an upright cross or + across the body with ...

. With his other hand, he points to God. His celestial robe is floating in a spaceless setting. The painter used the traditional brilliant blue and red color. Jesus's flesh tones and facial features exhibit a refined realism. The God figure to our right relays wisdom a similar figure is present in Masaccio's ''

''. His hair and facial features are painted in detail. His majestic celestial garment exhibits striations. God holds a scroll is his left hand. God's other hand rests on the globe. Both figures are floating on angel heads and clouds. Behind the two figures, the artist painted parts of the angelic

seraphim A seraph (, "burning one"; plural seraphim ) is a type of celestial or heavenly being originating in Ancient Judaism. The term plays a role in subsequent Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Tradition places seraphim in the highest rank in Chris ...

. The white dove symbolizing the Holy Spirit floats above both figures in front of a sunlike sphere. An aura radiates from the Holy Spirit coating the entire gold background. The traditional Greek symbols are featured around the father and son.

Gallery

File:Clevelandart 2016.32.jpg, The Holy Trinity File:The Holy Trinity Thomas Bathas.png, The Holy Trinity Bathas File:The Holy Trinity Cretan School.jpg, The Holy Trinity Damaskenos File:Masaccio, trinità.jpg, Holy Trinity

Masaccio Masaccio (, , ; December 21, 1401 – summer 1428), born Tommaso di Ser Giovanni di Simone, was a Florentine artist who is regarded as the first great Italian painter of the Quattrocento period of the Italian Renaissance. According to Vasari, ...

References

Bibliography

* {{Heptanese School (painting) 18th-century paintings Paintings of the Heptanese School Paintings in Livorno