Essay on The Holy Trinity, by Masaccio

The gazes of the fresco’s subjects run along this depth axis towards a point that lies beyond the coronal plane of the fresco. This intersection of gazes to a point beyond the plane of the visual text is reminiscent of those in Diego Velázquez’s Las Meninas, on which critical theorist Michel Foucault comments, referring to the gazes of the model, the spectator, and the painter, “These three ‘observing’ functions come together in a point exterior to the picture: that is, an ideal point in relation to what is represented, but a perfectly real one too, since it is also the starting-point that makes the representation possible” (15). Gaulli’s Triumph of the Name of Jesus, once again, is a visual text that is viewed di sotto in sù, the viewer’s gaze turned skyward to partake of the text. This viewing takes place across a vertical space—a distance between the viewer on ground level and the vaulted ceiling—that is pronounced by a set of trompe-l'œils that the viewer is responsible for reconciling. The aforementioned disruptions of visual boundaries and patterns in the text, the disruptions of media boundaries from paint to sculpture to architecture, and the artificial shadows projected by the painted figures all contribute to the viewer’s ability to perceive this depth axis and focus on the burst of light that resides at a point beyond the coronal plane of the

Painters were not interested in making a picture realistic-they did not use perspective. The more important figures in the painting were frequently made larger than all the others, and often the element of landscape was omitted completely. Members of the Holy Family for example, would be painted against a background of shining gold, which signified the heavens.

The symbolism behind the parable ‘if the blind lead the blind, they both shall fall into the ditch’ is applied to the bickering faiths. The message could entail that the ‘blind’ have no understanding of the true faith, symbolized by the sightless entourage being led away from the church. It could be thought that Catholicism was held as the truth, and the religious freedom imminent due to the Edict of Torda would draw people away from that faith. This idea can be expanded to fit the whole mankind, and their focus on worldly matters drawing them away from Christ. The positioning of the figures leads the eye, who naturally starts on the left side, through the progression of figures to the one who has fallen. The church divides the painting in the middle, allowing conclusions to be made by the viewer, even without a significant prior knowledge. Morimura’s confiscation and adaptation of this idea changes the thesis for his work. The men are now literally blinded by worldly and consumeristic items, each representing a difference aspect of society. The wealthy are drowned in money and consumeristic desires, governmental strife and war is implied by the soldier, the increasing brutality and evolution of the modern art world by the artist figure, and the ignorant and naive youth of today, being led by their adult counterparts to ruin, is

It is a famous example of Renaissance art showing portraiture, realism, and some perspective. In this painting there are four distinct characters. Each has a different expression that shows how they are feeling. There is also more detail in the faces then in any other parts of the painting. Another technique it demonstrates is heightened realism. Whereas before the Renaissance the figures may have been painted simply and in only enough detail to get the general idea across, these figures are shown more realistically. Lastly there is the technique of perspective as shown in the background of the painting. The sea stretches out into the sky and the land in the background is shown how it would look if the viewer was actually

Bonhoeffer, Dietrick. The Cost of Discipleship, New York,NY 10022: The Macmillan Company, Published 1959. 344 pp. $1.95

In Artwork 1, Mary is placed in the centre of the image between Christ who is on the left and God who is on the right. The Holy Spirit is between the two which forms the Holy Trinity. The composition can be viewed as forming an inverted triangle or heart shape. Mary is the focal figure with an attitude of modesty, reverence and tranquil emotion with her right hand placed upon her heart in which reinforces this. God is expressed as a picture of wisdom as He is crowning the head of Mary with a garland of roses, along side Jesus. The Holy Spirit is present in the image above Mary and is portrayed in the traditional form of a white dove. Cherubs, angelic beings, are visible at the base of the painting which can be interpreted as guards. The use of blue in their garments symbolising heavenly grace in

As I first examined this work, I could not focus on just one portion of it. Although each part tells its story, there it one overall explanation. As usual, I am drawn to the center of this piece which would be a man sitting in an oval like throne. With a closer look, I look at this man and see a cross behind him, with angelic figures in the background. I conclude this important

In terms of subject matter, both works are visual depictions of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. In each painting, Christ is the central figure, surrounded by two groups of figures. On the left, a group of women that includes the Virgin Mary mourns over the dead body of Christ, while on the right is a group of soldiers and other lamenters. Both works feature a rocky landscape on which the figures are positioned. Encircling Christ are several angels whose gestures of lamentation echo those of the figures below. Highlighting the severity of each scene is the blood that pours from Jesus' wounds. The blood from his feet drips onto human bones that are embedded in the rocky terrain below. The skull serves as a "memento mori," or a reminder of death, an idea that has been repeated in several other depictions of Christ's crucifixion.

Aside from linear perspective, Calabrese incorporates other geometrical forms throughout the composition. One is the circle at the foreground of the painting, which Calabrese offers the audience to complete. More outstanding is the triangle that occupies the majority of the space. John’s body, parallel to his staff, begs the viewer to trace the triangle from his eyes, across the woman and the lamb in the foreground, up the staff, and through to his hand. This triangle is significant in its symbolism of the Holy Trinity: God the Father, God the Holy Spirit, and God the Son. The message here is clear; through Jesus, the lamb, one will be saved. It is also interesting that Calabrese places John between the lamb and his hand. It coincides with the paintings’ function as an altar piece in that John serves as an intercessor to the Divine. Through him, one has access to Jesus, and therefore God. The geometrical lines and shapes add to the painting’s dynamism and contribute to the optimistic promise the painting conveys.

Three dimensional art was accomplished during the early southern renaissance by the use of the technique linear perspective. Linear perspective is type of perspective in which the relative size, shape, and position of objects are determined by drawn or imagined lines converging at a vanishing point on the horizon. An artist with the name of Masaccio created a new movement in Florentine painting with his fresco, or a painting done in watercolor on wet plaster on a wall or ceiling, Trinity. The artwork gave an illusion of a stone funerary monument and altar table set in a framed niche on the wall. The use of the vanishing point located at the eye level of the viewers of the church allowed for the viewers to see the art as if they were looking

The initial focus of the painting is Mary as a whole, or perhaps specifically her face and outstretched arms. El Greco, however, uses a Cartesian grid to relocate the focus to the geometric center of the canvas, a clearly intentional move necessary to create the basis of Mary’s upward motion. “Assumption” is strongly divided into four quadrants. The heavens, occupying the upper-half of the canvas, are divided in half vertically by Mary’s body, while the Earth is split by a clear part in the crowd that extends directly downward from that same line. The divine and mortal realms are separated fittingly by a line of clouds vertically centered on the canvas. The result is a crosshairs locked in on the area just below the Virgin’s feet—the area that will become the most important part of the canvas. The

The Trinity, by Masaccio (1428) renders the crucifixion in a fresco in the Church of Santa Maria Novella, Florence, Italy. The context of this early Italian Renaissance work demonstrates the innovations that embodied the contemporary concerns and influences of the early fifteenth century and would become an influential reference for generations to come. Masaccio’s amalgamation of religion and science influenced the artistic foundation of the early Italian Renaissance. In the early fifteenth century the papacy was the governing force and was very common to have religious subject matter commissioned.

Cimabue’s piece shows a linear formation of the surrounding figures, with both the angels and prophets placed in straight lines. This opposes the realistically situated figures in Giotto’s. Though Cimabue’s formation is linear, the postures and gestures of the figures in his piece are much more fluid and graceful then those in Giotto’s who are much more vertical. This absence of verticality in figures shows the influence Gothic sculpture had on Cimabue’s work. The figures in both show isometric perspective, staying the same size regardless of depth into the imagery. The figures in Giotto’s also seem more grounded and have none of the floating qualities Cimabue’s embodies in his angels. This differentiates the stylistic and realistic natures of the pieces.

Which ties into the principle of composition of the sculpture, Mary’s body is greater than that of Jesus, yet it looks natural. The proportion of the work gives it mass and draws the viewer into every inch of the sculptor. Your eyes follow the face of Mary to her drapery as it cradled Jesus body. Her face looks youthful; stated that her youthfulness attest to her “purity” which the artist portrays in the sculptor. Her face not depicted in a grief stricken state, however; it portrays “resignation” has to say she knew and was acceptable of her son’s death. The way that Mary is holding Jesus’ lifeless body is the way a mother holds her baby for the very first time. The face of Jesus in this sculpture does not show signs of suffering. One could say that it was the Michelangelo’s intention to create an image that showed a face of serene and abandonment in Jesus. The sculpture shows the greatest sacrifice for mankind and the ultimate expression of eternal love. The focal point of the sculptor is Mary’s face; which shows love for her son and blessed by God to have Jesus as her

Another interesting perspective captured in the painting is facial elevation and position. The meninas’ heads are at different elevations to that of Margarita. Their attention is towards Margarita yet their perspectives are different. María’s eye view is higher than Margarita’s eye view yet the painter makes it appear as if María’s eyes are looking up on Margarita. Moreover, Isabel’s elevation appears to pay homage to Margarita by her angle of inclination, eye direction and facial expression. .