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| Taddeo Crivelli, The Throne of Grace Single Leaf from a Manuscript Italian (Ferrara), c. 1460-1470 Los Angeles, J. Paul Getty Museum MS 88r |
“The eleven disciples went to Galilee,
to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them.
When they all saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted.
Then Jesus approached and said to them,
"All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.
And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age."
Matthew 28:16-20
Gospel for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, Year B
Gospel for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, Year B
The artistic expression of the Christian belief in a God who is One, but composed of Three distinct Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, has taken many forms. Nine years ago I surveyed some of them. Last year I examined one of them, the Sorrow of God, in detail. This year I would like to look at another, the Throne of Grace.
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| The Throne of Grace German, c. 1446-1455 Eisleben, Parish Church of Saint Andrew |
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| Laurent Girardin, The Throne of Grace French, c. 1460 Cleveland, Museum of Art |
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| Guido Reni, The Throne of Grace Italian, c. 1580-1600 Paris, Musée du Louvre, Département des arts graphique |
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| The Throne of Grace From the Psalter-Hours of Ghiluys de Boisleux French (Arras), c. 1246-1260 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 730, fol. 203r
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| Altarpiece of the Throne of Grace with the Virgin Mary and Saint John the Evangelist German, c. 1260-1270 Berlin, Gemäldegalerie der Staatlichen Museen zu Berlin |
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| The Throne of Grace From the Egerton Psalter English (East Anglia), c. 1270-1290 London, British Library MS Egerton 1066, fol. 83 |
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| Penitence, Devotion and Contemplation From La Sainte Abbaye by Pierre de Blois and Others French (Paris), c. 1290 London, British Library MS Yates Thompson 11, fol. 29 |
A sampling of these images is shown below. They appear in all kinds of media:
Manuscript Illumination
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| The Throne of Grace Cutting from a Gradual English, 14th Century London, Victoria and Albert Museum |
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| Throne of Grace From the Queen Mary Psalter English (London), c. 1310-1320 London, British Library MS Royal 2 B VII, fol. 299 |
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| Attributed to Jean le Noir, The Throne of Grace From Epistolary of the Sainte-Chapelle French (Paris), c. 1325-1375 London, British Library MS Yates Thompson 34, fol. 116v |
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| Michiel van der Borch, The Throne of Grace From Rhimebible by Jacob van Maerlant Dutch (Utrecht), 1332 The Hague, Meermano Museum MS RMMW 10 B 21, fol. 118r |
Wall Painting
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| Nikolaus Kentner, The Throne of Grace Austrian, 1452 Lienz, Castle Church, Trinity Chapel |
Panel Painting
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| Jacopo di Cione and Workshop, The Throne of Grace Central Panel San Pier Maggiore Altarpiece Italian, c. 1370-1371 London, National Gallery |
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| Agnolo Gaddi, The Throne of Grace Italian, c. 1390-1396 New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art |
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| Taddeo di Bartolo Italian, c. 1400-1420 Berlin, Gemäldegalerie der Staatliche Museen zu Berlin |
Stained Glass
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| Glass Roundel, The Throne of Grace South Netherlands, c. 1510-1520 New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Cloisters Collection |
Textiles
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| Damask Fabric, The Throne of Grace Italian, c. 1470-1480 Cologne, Museum für Angewandte Kunst |
Sculpture
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| The Throne of Grace German, c. 1300-1310 Fritzlar, Formr Monastery and Cathedral of Saint Peter |
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| The Throne of Grace Spanish, 14th Century Washington, National Gallery of Art |
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| The Throne of Grace English, 15th Century London, Victoria and Albert Museum |
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| The Throne of Grace English or French, 15th Century Paris, Musée de Cluny, Musée national du Moyen Age |
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| The Throne of Grace Flemish, c. 1431 Brussels, Church of Our Lady, Trinity Chapel |
Goldsmith’s Work
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| Morse (Clasp for a liturgical vestment, the cope) with the Throne of Grace French, 15th Century Enamel in 19th Century Setting Washington, National Gallery of Art |
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| Hans Reinhart the Elder, Trinity Medal German, 1544 St. Petersburg, State Hermitage Museum |
The Simple Approach
Most present the simplest form of the subject, with only the
figures of the Trinity included. They
are meant to be objects of devotion, reminders to the faithful of the price God
was willing to pay to bridge the gap brought about by original sin. Often, when they appear in the pages of Books
of Hours or the breviaries of the clergy, they accompany the opening words of
the Psalm which begins the evening prayer of Sundays “Dixit Dominus Domino meo: Sede a dextris meis, donec ponam inimicos
tuos scabellum pedum tuorum.” (“The
LORD says to my lord: “Sit at my right hand, while I make your enemies your
footstool.” Psalm 110:1)
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| The Throne of Grace Cutting from an Antiphonary Czech (Prague), c. 1410 Cleveland, Museum of Art |
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| The Throne of Grace Austrian, 1410 London, National Gallery |
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| The Throne of Grace Flemish, c. 1453-1467 Vienna, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Kaiserliche Schatzkammer
This plaque includes text which paraphrases the words of John 4:23 from the diaglogue of Jesus with the Samaritan woman "veri adoratores adorabunt Patrem in spiritu et veritate" ("true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth").
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| Master of the Beaussant Altarpiece, The Throne of Grace From a Fragment of the Justinian Code French, c. 1480-1490 Paris, Musée du Louvre MS RF 54637r |
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| Masters of the Dark Eyes, The Throne of Grace From a Book of Hours Dutch, c. 1490 The Hague, Koninklijk Bibliotheek MS KB 76 G 9. fol. 80v |
Variations on the Simple
Some images, while remaining essentially simple, offer some variation, such as placing the Cross with the figure of Christ to the side of the Father instead of directly in front.
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| Master of the Bible of Jean de Sy, The Throne of Grace with the Four Evangelists From La Bible historiale complétée by Guiard des Moulins French, 1357 London, British Library MS Royal 17 E VIII, fol. 1 |
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| Bedford Master, The Throne of Grace From The Bedford Hours French (Paris), c. 1410-1430 London, British Library MS Additional 18850, fol. 204v |
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| Related to the Master of the Munich Golden Legend, The Throne of Grace English (Oxford), c. 1440 London, British Library MS Sloane 2321, fol. 119v |
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| Lucas Cranach the Elder, The Throne of Grace German, c. 1515-1518 Bremen, Kunsthalle |
The Throne of Grace Image with Other Figures
Some of these images, primarily those intended as more public works to be viewed by many people, such as altarpieces, include other figures as well. The accompanying figures may be those that were earthly witnesses to the Crucifixion, such as the Blessed Virgin and St. John the Evangelist, or they may be prophets who foretold the advent of Jesus and his sacrifice, or it may be the figures and symbols of the four evangelists, or they may be visionary saints, who were believed to have been rewarded for their faith by a vision of the Trinity as the Throne of Grace, like St. Jerome. |
| The Throne of Grace with the Virgin Mary and Saint John the Baptist German, c. 1320-1330 Erfurt, Catholic Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary |
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| The Throne of Grace with the Annunciation Italian, c. 1350-1400 Palermo, Galleria Regionale della Sicilia |
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| Bartolo di Fredi, Altarpiece of the Trinity (The Throne of Grace with the Virgin Mary, Saints John the Evangelist and Mary Magdalene) Italian, c. 1400 Chambery, Musée des Beaux-Arts |
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| Bedford Master and Master of the Cité des Dames, The Throne of Grace with the Four Evangelists From Bible historiale by Guiard des Moulins French (Paris), c. 1420 London, British Library MS Additional 18857, fol. 148 |
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| Andrea del Castagno, Holy Trinity with Saint Jerome and Two Female Saints Italian, c. 1453 Florence, Church of Santissima Annunziata |
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| Pesellino, Santa Trinità Altarpiece Italian, c. 1455-1460 London, National Gallery |
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| Sandro Botticelli, Pala della Convertite (The Throne of Grace with Saints Mary Magdalene and John the Baptist) Italian, c. 1491-1493 London, Courtauld Gallery |
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| Quentin Massys, The Throne of Grace with the Madonna and Child Dutch, c. 1518 Munich, Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen, Alte Pinakothek |
Adoration of the Throne of Grace
Still other examples represent the Trinity being adored by other figures, sometimes even identifiable ones. Unlike the images where the figures simply accompany the Trinity, in these pictures the viewers are engaged primarily in adoration, on their knees, or at least in attitudes of prayer. |
| DuBois Master, Adoration of the Trinity _From the DuBois Hours English (London), c. 1320-1335 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 700, fol. 103r |
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| Master of 1328, The Trinity Adored by The Virgin Mary, Saint John the Baptist, the Eleven Apostles and Saint Paul, Angels, a Pope and a King From the Decretals of Pope Gregory IX Italian (Bologna), c. 1330-1335 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 716, fol. 2r |
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| Master of the Breviary of Senlis at Montpellier, The Trinity Adored by Donors and Their Children From Le Roman de la Rose by Guillaume de Lorris and Jean de Meun French (Paris), c. 1350-1360 The Hague, Meermano Museum MS RMMW 10 B29, fol. 124r |
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| Simone dei Crocefissi, Throne of Grace Adored by Four Saints Italian, 1360s Vienna, Akademie der bilbdenden Kuenste
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| The Limbourg Brothers, Patriarchs and Prophets Adoring the Throne of Grace From Tres belles heures de Notre-Dame de Jean de Berry French, c. 1400 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Nouvelle acquisition latine 3093, fol. 225 |
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| The Dunois Master, Trinity of the Canons French, c. 1430 Paris, Ecole nationale superieure des Beaux-Arts |
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| Master of Catherine of Cleves, Holy Trinity Adored by Rulers of the Earth From Hours of Catherine of Cleves Dutch (Utrecht), c. 1435-1445 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M917-945, fol. 90r
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| Andrea della Robbia, The Trinity Altarpiece Italian, c. 1485-1486 Arezzo, Cathedral |
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| Giovanni Mansueti, The Throne of Grace Adored by Saints (James the Greater, The Virgin Mary, John the Evangelist, Peter and Mary Magdalene) and Two Donors Italian, c. 1492 London, National Gallery |
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| Albrecht Dürer, Adoration of Trinity, the Landauer Altarpiece German, 1511 Vienna, Kunsthistorisches Museum |
From this category comes one of the best known of all pictures from the Quattrocento, the Trinity by Masaccio, from the church of Santa Maria Novella in Florence. Here the two donors, a husband and wife, join the Virgin Mary and Saint John the Evangelist in adoring the Trinity. Because of Masaccio’s early use of scientific perspective to create the illusion of a vaulted space in which the Trinity stand this picture is included in most art history survey classes and especially in those that cover the Renaissance period.
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| Masaccio, The Holy Trinity Italian, c. 1425-1428 Florence, Church of Santa Maria Novella |
Disputations and Triumphs
Sometimes we are offered a reflection of the theological
discussions that engaged the Church in the first few centuries while the
understanding of Trinitarian doctrine, though implicit from the beginning, was
explicated with the development of the Nicene creed. So, we may see Saint Augustine engaged in
disputations with other philosophers or ruminating on salvation.
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| Virgil Master, St. Augustine Contemplating the Two Cities From City of God by St. Augustine of Hippo French (Paris), c. 1410-1412 The Hague, Meermano Museum MS RMMW 10 A 12, fol. 2r |
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| St. Augustine Disputing with Philosophers From City of God by St. Augustine of Hippo French, c. 1464-1471 The Hague, Meermano MS RMMW 10 D 33, fol. 15r
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The image of the Throne of Grace and the related image of
the Sorrow of God remind us that God is not some remote “force” that is totally
other and apart from lived human experience but has a profound understanding of
human life, its trials, its failures, its feelings of abandonment but also of
its joys and its love. Through the
Incarnation God has inserted a part of himself into the world in a concrete way
to understand the inner workings of the creature made in his/her image and
likeness. And, through the Eucharist and
the Church, he remains with us.
Understanding us so well he always offers us mercy, the response to that
offer is ours to accept or reject.
© M. Duffy, 2020
© M. Duffy, 2020
1. For this quotation
I used the translation of the Vulgate by Monsignor Ronald Knox. The currently used New American Bible
translation expresses the idea of the writer of Romans in a very clumsy manner
which makes it virtually incoherent. Knox,
Ronald. The Holy Bible, A Translation
from the Latin Vulgate in the Light of the Hebrew and Greek Originals, New
York, Sheed and Ward, 1954.
Excerpts from the Lectionary
for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States of America, second
typical edition © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of
Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC. Used with permission. All rights
reserved. No portion of this text may be reproduced by any means without
permission in writing from the copyright owner.
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture
texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition ©
2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C.
and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part
of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in
writing from the copyright owner.
Quotations in Latin are
taken from the Latin Vulgate of Saint Jerome, which is available online at: a) https://www.newadvent.org/bible, b) http://www.latinvulgate.com and c) http://www.vatican.va/archive/bible/nova_vulgata/documents/nova-vulgata_index_lt.html