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The Trinity, c. 1620 (oil on wood)
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The Trinity, c. 1620 (oil on wood)
500221 The Trinity, c.1620 (oil on wood)
by Balen, Hendrik van the Elder (1575-1632); 134x107 (framed) 114.6x73.9 (unframed) cm; Cleveland Museum of Art, OH, USA; (add.info.: This altarpiece, painted with luminous pastel colors, was made in Antwerp, the center of religious learning in Catholic Flanders. The reform movement within the Catholic church, known as the Counter Reformation, encouraged the production of didactic religious images, with the result that Antwerp painters such as Rubens, van Dyck, as well as Hendrik Van Balen were granted large numbers of commissions.
Depictions of the Trinity showing God the Father holding the dead Christ with the dove of the Holy Spirit hovering above had been very popular through-out Europe between 1300 and 1500, but became rare in the 1600s. In this work, the artist conformed to the Counter Reformation demand that God the Father wear the purple tiara of the Pope. The angels, with their multi-colored wings of various designs, hold the instruments of Christs Passion. On the clasp of God the Fathers elaborate cape is a small figure of Saint Barbara, which may be a clue to the original location of the work, perhaps a chapel dedicated to the saint.); Mr. and Mrs. William H. Marlatt Fund; Flemish, out of copyright
Media ID 23553878
© Mr. and Mrs. William H. Marlatt Fund / Bridgeman Images
Dove Heaven Holy Spirit Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Injuries Wound Wounded
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The Trinity, c. 1620
EDITORS COMMENTS
by Hendrik van Balen the Elder is a captivating oil painting that showcases the artist's mastery of color and religious symbolism. This altarpiece, now housed in the Cleveland Museum of Art, was created during a time when Antwerp was at the heart of Catholic Flanders' religious learning. During this period, the Counter Reformation movement within the Catholic Church encouraged artists to produce didactic religious images. As a result, renowned painters like Rubens, van Dyck, and Van Balen received numerous commissions. In "The Trinity". Van Balen adheres to these demands by depicting God the Father wearing a purple tiara associated with the Pope. The composition features God holding Christ's lifeless body while an ethereal dove representing the Holy Spirit hovers above them. The angels surrounding them hold various instruments symbolizing Christ's Passion. Notably, on God's elaborate cape clasp is a small figure of Saint Barbara—a possible clue to its original location in a chapel dedicated to her. What sets this artwork apart is Van Balen's use of luminous pastel colors that bring vibrancy and depth to his depiction of divine figures. While depictions of The Trinity were popular between 1300 and 1500 across Europe, they became rarer in the 1600s—making this piece all-the-more significant. "The Trinity" serves as both an exquisite example of Flemish artistry from centuries ago and as a testament to how religion influenced artistic production during that time period.
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