France, Lyon / c. 1460
The Trinity
The Trinity
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs The Trinity as painting (France, Lyon · c. 1460).
WHY IT’S INTERESTING
When the painting was acquired in 1960 the artist was not yet identified.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this painting as oil on wood and credits Laurent Girardin (French, 1478).
The museum's collection notes: Fundamental to Christian belief, the Holy Trinity refers to the three divine persons in God—God the Father, here depicted wearing a papal tiara, God the Son, crucified on the cross, and the Holy Spirit, represented as a dove. Juxtaposed with the Trinity's austere depiction are cherubim bathed in radiant red light, possibly influenced by stained glass windows that Girardin also designed in Lyon. God the Father wears a liturgical vestment, a sumptuous and bejeweled cope, or cape, fastened below the neck, typically worn by clergy for processional occasions. It is made of opulent crimson velvet with gold thread forming a large pomegranate pattern
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtThe TrinityOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.