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The Holy Trinity of Masaccio
The Holy Trinity by Masaccio was done approximately 1428. It is a
superb example of Masaccio's use of space and perspective. It consists of
two levels of unequal height. Christ is represented on the top half, in a
coffered, barrel-vaulted chapel. On one side of him is the Virgin Mary,
and on the other, St. John. Christ himself is supported by God the Father,
and the Dove of the Holy Spirit rests on Christ's halo. In front of the
pilasters that enframe the chapel kneel the donors (h usband and wife).
Underneath the altar (a masonry insert in the painted composition) is a
tomb. Inside the tomb is a skeleton, which may represent Adam. The
vanishing point is at the center of the masonry altar, because this is the
eye level of th e spectator, who looks up at the Trinity and down at the
tomb. The vanishing point, five feet above the floor level, pulls both
views together. By doing this, an illusion of an actual structure is
created. The interior volume of this 'structure' i s an ex tension of the
space that the person looking at the work is standing in. The adjustment
of the spectator to the pictured space is one of the first steps in the
development of illusionistic painting. Illusionistic painting fascinated
many artists of the Renaissance and Baroque periods.
The proportions in this painting are so numerically exact that one
can actually calculate the numerical dimensions of the chapel in the
background. The span of the painted vault is seven feet, and the depth is
nine feet. "Thus, he achieves not only successful illusion, but a rational,
metrical coherence that, by maintaining the mathematical proportions of the
surface design, is responsible for the unity and harmony of this monumental
composition." Two principal interests are summed up by The Holy Trinity:
Realism based on observation, and the application of mathematics to
pictorial organization.
All of the figures are fully clothed, except for that of Christ
himself. He is, however, wearing a robe around his waist. The figure is
"real"; it is a good example of a human body. The rest of the figures,
who are clothed, are wearing ro bes. The drapery contains heavy folds and
creases, which increases the effect of shadows. The human form in its
entirety is not seen under the drapery; only a vague representation of it
is seen. It is not at all like the 'wet-drapery' of Classica l antiquity.
Massacio places the forms symmetrically in the composition. Each
has its own weight and mass, unlike earlier Renaissance works. The fresco
is calm, and creates a sad mood. The mood is furthered by the darkness of
the work, and the heavy sh adows cast.
Grunewald's The Isenheim Altarpiece is an oil painting on wood,
completed in 1515. The altar is composed of a carved wooden shrine with
two pairs of movable panels, one directly in back of the other. The
outermost scene is the Crucifixion; on the inside there are two others. On
the two sides, two saints are represented (St. Sebastian on the left, and
St. Anthony on the right). Together, these saints established the theme of
disease and healing that is reinforced by the inner paintin gs. On the
bottom of the panel, when opened, it appears that Christ's legs were
amputated; possibly an allusion to ergotism, a disease treated in the
hospital where the altarpiece was kept.
An image of the terrible suffering of Christ is in the middle. The
suffering body hangs against the dark background, which falls all the way
to the earth. The flesh is discolored by decomposition and is studded with
the thorns of the lash. His blackening feet twist in agony, as do his arms.
His head is to one side, and his fingers appear as crooked spikes. The
shuddering tautness of Christ's nerves is expressed through the positions
of his fingers. Up to this point, no other artist has ever produced such
an image of pain. The sharp, angular shapes of anguish appear in the
figures of the swooning Virgin and St. John, and in the shrill delirium of
the Magdalene. On the other side, John the Baptist, a gaunt form, points a
finge r at the body of the dead Christ. Even though death and suffering
are dominant in the altarpiece, there are symbols of hope: The river
behind St. John, which represents baptism, and the wine-red sky which
symbolizes the blood of Christ. Through th ese sym bols, ahope of
salvation is offered to the viewer.
The use of space is ambiguous in some places: All of the forms are
at the same general depth in the painting. However, none of the forms are
tangled, or intertwining. Therefore, the space is not badly used.
Once again, all of the forms except for that of Christ are fully
clothed. Christ is again wearing a small robe around his waist. The other
forms are depicted superbly. Their bodies are not lost behind the drapery
which they wear, yet they are not seen exactly either. The folds are more
delicate, which create a calmer mood. (Christ's description was already
given). The forms are three dimensional, and also have weight. They
clearly take up space, and where they are is clearly defin ed.
As in The Holy Trinity, the composition is generally symmetrical,
centered around the body of Christ. It is a frightful composition,
because of the events taking place. Expression is shown on all of the
figures, who grieve Christ's death.
Overall, the two works are very similar. Masaccio, however, was
more interested in the mathematical aspects of painting than Grunewald.
Both works are superb, and have their own distinct qualities.
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