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Holy Trinity

 

The debacle over whether something was considered art during the time it was created can be summed up in one question: “What is the piece’s purpose?” In order to decide if a piece would be considered art by an audience in Florence during the Renaissance era, one needs to consider why the piece was made. Although in our eyes, the religious paintings and sculptures made during the time period would be deemed a work of art, in the eyes of a Florentine person they may be considered devotional pieces. Many of the works created during that time period served a purpose other than to be displayed as artwork.

Take for example the work of Massacio, in his painting The Holy Trinity created in 1428. The painting is a depiction of the crucifixion of Christ within the Santa Maria Novella church in Florence. Massacio painted the fresco including God standing behind Christ, the Virgin Mary and Saint John, and a man and a woman praying at the feet of Christ. The man and the woman are donors, or portraits of those who commissioned Massacio to paint this piece.

Today, this is a piece which we would call art. However, in the eyes of a Renaissance audience it would not be considered such. One of the most notable reasons being that the Holy Trinity was created to be a devotional piece, which audiences would go and pray to. The fresco depicts holy Christian figures, and showcases pure displays of devotion by the two donors.

This commission would allow them to proclaim their status as affluent people. The Holy Trinity would have granted Massacio to invoke his place as a successful artist. Additionally, in Renaissance Florence, people with money faced pressure by society to contribute their wealth towards the community. Religion was a very communal topic. Thus, the patrons commissioning Massacio to paint the Holy Trinity would have been their contribution to the society of Florence.

This is evident within Massacio’s painting itself as he employs a fictive element. Many of the devotional figures he painted are a result of his mystical vision. The only subjects within the Holy Trinity that would have been present were the couple in prayer. To the Florentine audience, the mystical vision would have been easily recognized for catholicism was a very present theme in their lives. These fictive elements were included with the intention of being understood by the Florentine people.

When asking what the purpose of the Holy Trinity is, we know that it was created as a devotional piece for the Catholic people in Florence during the Renaissance era. Massacio created the painting employing fictive components that could easily be distinguished to the eye of the public. To our eyes, we see the Holy Trinity and deem it as a work of art, however to the people of Renaissance Florence, it served to respond to the religious devotion of the popolo.