"The Old Testament Trinity": description of the icon

The main dogma of Christianity is the doctrine of the three persons of the one essentially God, who are the Most Holy Trinity. These three incarnations in Him are God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are not fused with each other and are inseparable. Each of them is a manifestation of one of its essences. The Holy Church teaches about the complete unity of the Trinity, creating the world, which is engaged in it and sanctifies it.

Image of the Holy Trinity in the iconography

Holy Trinity is a traditional story of Orthodox iconography. But since the direct image of God would be a violation of the concept of its eternity and incomprehensibility, expressed in the words of the Evangelist John: "No one saw God and never", it is customary to use his symbolic images, the main of which is the Old Testament Trinity.

For the disclosure of this image, icon painters traditionally resort to the image of the scene described in the 18th chapter of the biblical Book of Genesis. It was called "Hospitality Abraham". Verse 1 to 18 tells how the forefather Abraham, during the day's rest, was honored to visit three husbands. Seeing with spiritual eyes that in their image God himself appeared before him, Abraham rendered the greatest respect and hospitality to those who arrived.

It was this scene that became the basis of the traditional icon-painting plot - the Trinity of the Old Testament. As mentioned above, the lack of opportunities for direct representation of the Creator of the world, the masters resorted to symbols in their works, which became their main expressive technique. So it entered the tradition, fixed by the blessing of church hierarchs, to represent husbands who visited Abraham in the form of three angels.

The appearance of the Holy Trinity in picturesque plots

For the first time the images in which the Old Testament Trinity is represented appeared in the second century on the walls of the Roman catacombs, where the first Christians secretly performed divine services from the pagan authorities. These drawings did not yet correspond to the canons established in later centuries, and the scenes presented on them looked quite historical. But already in this period, unknown to us artists tried to emphasize the similarity of all three guests of Abraham.

Later in theology appeared the term "isoequality", which denoted the equal rights of travelers. In the wall paintings of the Roman catacombs, it is underlined by the deliberate identity of the poses and clothes of the three husbands. Gradually, the image of guests who visited the Old Testament forefather began to take on an increasingly symbolic character, and over time, the tradition of depicting them in an angelic form developed.

It is important to note that the story "The Trinity of the Old Testament" is often presented in two variants - iso-fairy and non-isoefalic. In the first case, as is clear from the term itself, with complete static character of the composition, the mutual equality of the three angels is underlined. In the second one, one of them can be distinguished with the help of a halo, an image of a cross or an appropriate inscription.

Mosaic of the ancient basilica

In addition to the Holy Trinity, one of the most ancient images on the walls of the catacombs is the 5th century mosaic on the Arc de Triomphe of the Roman basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. The composition of the image is quite complicated. It is visually divided into two parts. Abraham, who runs out to meet wanderers, is depicted in the upper one, one of which is surrounded by a shining halo - a symbol of holiness, and in the lower part there is a covered table, behind which sit the guests. The master of the house Abraham is depicted in it twice - serving guests and instructing his wife Sarah. The background is a kind of rich structure with a tower - obviously, the house of Abraham and the Mamvrean oak, under which the meeting took place.

The final version of the composition

In the XIV century, the composition of the icons depicting the Holy Trinity has developed in the form in which the most glorified samples of it were written. This is evidenced by the icon of the Trinity Zyryansky, created during this period and attributed to the brush of St. Stephen of Perm. It is commonly believed that it is in it that the scene is first presented, the center of composition of which are the angels sitting behind the table.

Andrei Rublev: "The Trinity of the Old Testament"

About this work was written and said a lot. And this is not accidental, because among the variety of icons written on the subject "Hospitality Abraham", a special place is occupied by the "Old Testament Trinity" Rublev. According to the unanimous opinion of art historians and all connoisseurs of Old Russian painting, the artist achieved the highest degree of disclosure of the spiritual essence of the Triune God. This work, created in the XV century, became one of the most famous Russian icons.

The compositional solution of the image is very peculiar. The figures of the angels are, as it were, inscribed in an invisible circle, symbolizing the consubstantiality of all three hypostases. At the same time, the artist achieves an effect in which the viewer's view does not linger on any of them, but freely resides within the space formed by them, the semantic center of which is the bowl with the head of the sacrificial lamb. It is around her that a silent gesture dialogue takes place.

Christian symbols in the icon of Rublev

It should be noted that the "Old Testament Trinity" is an icon full of symbolic attributes expressing the basic Christian dogmas. It is no coincidence that the background for depicting the figures of angels is a house, a tree and a mountain. Their images are full of concrete meaning. So, the angel on the left symbolizes God the Father. This is indicated by the image of the house placed above Him - the chambers of Abraham, which corresponds to the initial moment of the Divine dispensation made at his will.

The tree- oak of Mamvreys, depicted above the central figure, involuntarily reinterprets itself as a tree of life, and is associated with the Savior's crosses. Accordingly, the viewer has no doubt that the central figure of the composition the author portrayed the Son of God, Jesus Christ.

As for the figure of the left angel, the hint of its belonging is the mountain depicted above it - a symbol of spiritual ascent, realized through the action of the third hypostasis of the Holy Spirit. The most significant events are connected with the image of the mountain in the Bible. This gift of the Tablets of the Covenant at Sinai, the Transfiguration of the Lord on Favor and the Ascension on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem.

It should be noted and another important idea, which expresses the "Trinity of the Old Testament." Andrei Rublev in his truly brilliant creation was able to create the prototype of true unity and love. His figures, devoid of active movement, and as if immersed in immovable contemplation, full of silent communication. Before the eyes of the viewer comes the process of communicating the divine energy contained within the three hypostases of God.

Icon of Simon Ushakov

Another icon is also widely known, the "Old Testament Trinity", the author of which is the master of the Silver Chamber under the Armory Order of the Moscow Kremlin Simon Ushakov. It was written in 1667. In its composition Ushakov's "Old Testament Trinity" follows the tradition of Andrei Rublev. In it the same scene of the phenomenon of strangers to the forefather Abraham is presented, and also the figures of the angels are inscribed in a circle, creating the impression of a certain unity among the viewer. However, this work has its own individual characteristics.

Decorativeness, which replaced the symbolism

It is easy to see that Ushakov's angels, though close in their drawing to the figures depicted on the icon of Andrei Rublev, differ from them in excessive body and naturalness. Their wings, drawn out with careful detailing, seem heavy and incapable of lifting even disembodied spirits into the air.

Striking differences include the background, which represents the whole scene. If Rublev has, first of all, a symbolic meaning, then Ushakov, rather, is decorative. It's just a beautiful landscape with an ancient palazzo, a mountain and a picturesque tree. This author in the icon "Old Testament Trinity" practically deprived all three landscape attributes of their symbolic value. Even a cursory glance at them is enough to recall such details in the paintings of Veronese.

The table decoration also attracts attention. If it is limited to Rublev only by one bowl with the head of the calf, which is also full of symbolic meaning and directs the viewer's thoughts to reflect on the ransom sacrifice of the Son of God, in this case the painter emphasized the rich serving combined with the exquisite painting of the armchairs. Such an abundance of decorative is not characteristic of the icon.

Trinity of the New Testament

The plot of the icons described above is taken from the Old Testament, therefore they bear the name "Trinity of the Old Testament". But we can not ignore the frequently encountered images of the New Testament Trinity - another version of the image of the Divine Trinity. It is based on the words of Jesus Christ, given in the Gospel of John: "I and the Father are one." In this story, the three Divine hypostases are represented by images of God the Father in the form of a gray-haired elder, God the Son, that is, Christ, in the form of a middle-aged man and the Holy Spirit in the form of a Dove.

Image options of the New Testament Trinity

This story is known in several iconographic versions, differing from each other, the main image of the position, the figures depicted in it. The most common of them is "Sopostolie", it represents the frontal depiction of God the Father and God the Son sitting on thrones or clouds, and hovering above the Dove - the Holy Spirit.

Another well-known story is called "Fatherland". In it, God the Father is represented on the throne by the Savior Emmanuel, sitting on his lap and holding a sphere in blue light. Inside it is placed a symbolic image of the Holy Spirit in the form of a Dove.

Disputes about the possibility of depicting God the Father

There are other icon-painting versions of the New Testament Trinity, such as "The Crucifixion in the Lap of the Father," "The Eternal Light," "Christ's Sending the Earth," and several others. However, despite their widespread prevalence, among theologians for centuries the disputes about the legitimacy of the portrayal of such subjects have not ceased.

Skeptics appeal to the fact that, according to the Gospel, no one has ever seen God's Father, and therefore, it is impossible to depict him. In support of their opinion, they mention the Great Moscow Cathedral of 1666-1667, the 43rd paragraph of which forbids the depiction of God the Father, which in its time gave rise to the withdrawal from the use of many icons.

Their opponents also base their statements on the Gospel, quoting the words of Christ: "He who has seen me has seen my Father." One way or another, but the New Testament Trinity, despite the controversy, firmly enters the plots of icons, revered by the Orthodox Church. By the way, all listed variants of the New Testament Trinity appeared relatively late in Russian art. Until the XVI century, they were unknown.