The Holy Trinity: Masaccio Essay

In the article “Conditions of Trade,” Michael Baxandall explains that fifteenth-century Italian art is a “deposit” resulting from the commercial interaction between the artist and the purchaser, who he refers to as a client. These works, as such, are “fossils of economic life,” and money, and they play an important role in the history of art. In our current perception of the relationship between the artist and art, “painters paint what they think is best, and then look around for a buyer” . However in the past, especially during the Renaissance period, the customers determined the content and form of paintings, as it was them who commissioned the work before it was created. He states that the artists and clients were interconnected and

Art in the early Renaissance began with artists such as Giotto, who was credited with beginning a new style of art that Masaccio had taken up and integrated into his art later in the Renaissance. This specific style, being the use of massive figures, relation of background/landscapes to figures, and visual representation of perspective, was utilized by Masaccio in his frescoes in the Brancacci chapel. Masaccio’s Tribute Money is showing a biblical tale ,as the renaissance was not entirely anti religion, but with subjects that are being made to look realistic through a use of perspective (vanishing point, horizon line, etc,) and it is said that Masaccio's work was said to be “ living, natural, and real”. Artists such as Uccello took this style and adapted it to also make his art more realistic by using figures to show the laws of perspective, while others like Pollaiuolo

Masaccio’s famous religious painting, “The Holy Trinity”, is known for the engagement of linear perspective to create an image that goes beyond just paint on canvas, (or should I say wall?) by creating the illusion of depth. This painting addresses many religious concepts by setting up different levels and layers in the constructed space. The characters depicted are made up of four groups of human figures, which include the Trinity (God the father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit), the Virgin Mary and Saint John, a pair of donors, and a skeleton on a tomb at the bottom of the picture. There is an apparent point of separation, which is made clear due to each group being on separate levels. Their difference in power is fundamental feature in

Barna da Siena’s Mystic Marriage of Saint Catherine and Other Scenes from 1340 is vastly different in content, composition, and a number of other attributes from Fra Carnevale’s 1467 painting Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple. It is clear between the roughly hundred years between when the two were painted that advancements in realistic painting soared and a further appreciation for realism and humanism developed. The need to portray more than just the holy subjects, and to show how far painting had evolved is evident in the differences between Barna and Fra Carnevale’s works. Although, the emotion behind Barna’s work, and its significance are, in my eyes, far greater than that of Fra Carnevale’s.

Another technique that was developed was perspective. Perspective was formed with the creation of the vanishing point to make paintings more realistic. Masaccio was one of the great painters of his time because of his skill of recreating lifelike figures and movement, along with portraying a sense of three-dimensionality. One of Masaccio’s greatest paintings is the Holy Trinity which was painted in 1427. This painting has a great use of perspective and chiaroscuro to show realism. Chiaroscuro was another technique that was formed to show light and dark intensities to give the impression of depth and texture as well as a source of light. With the use of different shades of colour, sfumato was a new technique that emerged during this time that produces soft, imperceptible transitions between colours and tones to show blending and oneness. These techniques established a basis of modern art. These techniques are still used till this day and have shaped the way art is currently produced.

The Christ in Majesty with Symbols of the Four Evangelists uses an interesting technique in its apse, compared to previous Byzantine decorations in apses. It incorporates the technique of fresco painting, where artists painted pigments into the plaster and wood on the walls so the paint would become one with the walls similar to methods used in ancient Greece, compared to exercising mosaics as decorations in apses. The artist mostly employed primary pigments in the Christ in Majesty with Symbols of the Four Evangelists to make the figures stand out. A repetition occurs in the pigments with red, gold-like yellow, and blue with the occasional purple and the hair colors vary with tones of brown and grayish white.

The ceiling fresco is also referred to as the Apotheose of Sant’Ignazio. He created this piece for viewers who enter the church and look up at the church, it would seem as if they were looking straight into the heavens. The fresco was created so that there would also be a transition from the architecture of the church to his painting. For example, the columns and walls of the church have been replicated into the painting to create a sense of reality for the viewer. The transition between the actual stone architecture and the painted surface seems to rise up infinitely into the heavens is imperceptible. Pozzo created this masterpiece to give the viewer a sense of realism, especially when they are looking at the figures. This piece has many brilliant strokes which give it the recognition it truly

The Holy Trinity by Masaccio was a painting done in approximately 1428. It is a

Masaccio, an Italian painter of the early 15th century, was a master of three-dimensionality, as he is literally able to summon and animate lifeless figures and objects out of their respective paintings. What makes Masaccio, a humanistic artist was his naturalistic perception ad implementation of humanity into his art. He didn’t idealize in his paintings, he realistically portrayed humans beings as they were, radically unlike previous art. He regularly was commissioned by religious authorities to create Christian art

The discoveries by Renaissance scholars in subjects as different as atonomy, music and maths all helped humanists. Scholars considered shapes, such as squares and circles, to be mathematically perfect. They were delighted that Roman architect Vitruvius had suggested that a perfect human body was naturally in harmony with these perfect mathematical forms. They took this harmony as evidenve of a 'grand design', by which the univese had been formed. Michaelangelo intended his painting to be more than just a picture: it is a statement of humanist beliefs in the power and beuty of humankind.

In favor of the influence created by the early Renaissance artists, the Renaissance flourished under the great artists and architects of the High Renaissance. As an architect, Brunelleschi, who was not necessarily a High Renaissance architect, created a large impact on the architects of that time period, being one of the first to create a Roman style of architect. Although most of them were started in the mid 1400’s, many of his works were not finished until the late 1400’s, when many people took up to his ideals. Because of Brunelleschi, architecture and art could be mathematically calculated through the use of his most commonly known creation, linear perspective (“Renaissance”). On the opposite end, a venetian artist by the name of Titian was known for his findings on producing breathtaking spectrums and variants of

As a result, fellowship, prayer, Bible study, worship, and most importantly salvation in its purest form can be discerned and acted upon correctly. In addition, a further understanding can be thus gained regarding the person of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Finally, heresies and heretical groups or beliefs can lead God’s followers astray from the truth and create an improper understanding, and thus relationship with God. Positions past and present have, and are, attempting to mislead Christians about the Trinity. A skewed view of the Trinity can result in a view of God as either divinely apart from creation or simply a better version of all the best attributes of humans. Some positions even take away from the Divinity of Jesus Christ. All of these views severely diminish who God is and alters a proper and true relationship and worship. It is a necessity that these errant views be exposed as a hindrance to God in order not to mislead God’s followers. Likewise a Biblically sound explanation of the Trinity is needed. As a result, a true and pure knowledge of the concept of the Trinity is crucially needed to understand God and be obedient to the Bible.

In conclusion, Masaccio was an outstanding artist. His piece that was inspired by other artist still inspires us today. We can only

This unique blending of fresh ideas and rejuvenating classical ideas defined Masaccio’s artwork and more importantly the art of the early renaissance.

An angel appeared before a woman named Mary and stated to her that she would give birth to a son. She would name her son Jesus. Mary being a virgin gave birth to a child, conceived by God through his Spirit. Jesus being conceived in a supernatural manner became man and God in one creation. God became incarnate in this child who became known by the name of Jesus (Mathew 1:18-25) . Jesus was a Palestinian Jew, born in a town south of Jerusalem, raised in Nazareth in a small village in Galilee. Jesus was not any ordinary child. Jesus was the son of the living God. Not only was He the son of Mary, He was foremost the Son of God. He was incarnated sent to us for the redemption of all mankind. So how do we handle the incarnation of God?