Santa Trinita Maestà

Maestà
Artist Cimabue
Year 1290–1300
Type Tempera on panel
Dimensions 385 cm × 223 cm (152 in × 88 in)
Location Uffizi Gallery, Florence

The Santa Trinita Maestà (Italian: Maestà di Santa Trinita) is a painting by the Italian medieval artist Cimabue, dating to c. 1290-1300. Originally painted for the church of Santa Trinita, Florence where it remained until 1471, is now housed in the Uffizi Gallery of Florence, central Italy.

Renaissance art developed in Florence, it was replaced with a Trinity by Alesso Baldovinetti (1471), and moved into a side chapel of the same church, and, later, the monastery infirmary.

Vasari assigned it to Cimabue, and this has been confirmed by most modern scholars, although the dating remains disputed. Also the commissioning by the Vallumbrusans, of which no traces exist, has been put in discussion.[1]

Description

A Striking feature of the Maesta' of Santa Trinita is the wide opening at the base of the throne with it's arches framing four prophets in half bust view. Their presence legitimises symbolic meanings. Down below at the sides Jeremiah and Isaiah gaze up towards the child, as if to confirm the prophecies inscribed in the documents concerning the virginal birth of Jesus.

Abraham and David at the centre below the throne evoke the birth of the saviour, who came down from their house. The Christian meaning of the work, well fitted to a church dedicated the holy trinity, is thus focused on the three fold nature of the Virgin who is surrounded by the holy spirit, mother of Jesus, the son of god.[2]

References

  1. ↑ __ (2003). Galleria degli Uffizi. Rome: Scala. p. 21.
  2. ↑ Fossi, Gloria (2014). Uffizi art, history, collections,. Florence: Giunti. p. 110. ISBN 978-88-09-79262-3.

Sources

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