Skip to main content

Austrian, 'The Trinity with Christ Crucified', about 1410

About the work

Overview

This large painting shows the three divine beings of the Trinity: God the Father supports his son, Christ, who is shown crucified; he seems minute by comparison. The Holy Ghost is represented by a dove that hovers between the two. On either side, an angel kneels in adoration.

The simple colour scheme of green, red and white is striking against the gilded background. The patterned robes of the angels emulate damask and contrast with the austere simplicity of the white throne. Their decoration was created using imitation sgraffito, applying glazes of paint over areas of gilding, leaving some parts uncovered to create the patterns. This replicated the visual effects of the Italian sgraffito technique, where a layer of gold leaf was covered entirely by paint which was then scratched away in areas to reveal the metal beneath. The inscriptions on the scrolls crossed around the angels’ necks were not intended to be legible.

This panel once formed the central part of an altarpiece with panels on either side – the hinge marks are still visible on either side of the frame, which is original to the picture (four panels in Rastenberg Castle, Austria, have been identified as the side panels).

Key facts

Details

Full title
The Trinity with Christ Crucified
Artist
Austrian
Date made
about 1410
Medium and support
egg tempera on wood
Dimensions
118.1 × 114.9 cm
Acquisition credit
Bought with a contribution from the Art Fund, 1922
Inventory number
NG3662
Location
Not on display
Collection
Main Collection
Frame
15th-century Austrian Frame (original frame)

About this record

If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the National Gallery Library.

Images