Painted icon Trinity
Icon hand painted in Romania.
Icon hand painted in Romania, depicting the Rublev trinity, measuring 14X18 cm.
The original exhibited in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow dates back to around 1422.
One of the most famous and mysterious expressions of world painting.
The subject of the icon is based on chapter 18 of the book of Genesis, where God, in the form of three angels, is described as appearing to Abraham and Sarah under the oak of Mamre.
Looking carefully at the icon we observe that Rublev has removed the figures of Abraham and Sarah. The rich layout of the table has been replaced by a single cup, indicated by the angel in the middle, the large oak has been transformed into a small tree. The figures of the angels are painted in the same way. Each of the angels carries a scepter in their hand, symbol of divine power. Angels are not the same: they have different poses and different clothes. The middle angel's clothes (the red tunic, blue robe, and sash) are similar to the Savior's clothes. Two of the angels sitting at the table with their heads and body movements are turned towards the angel sitting on the left. The latter's head is not bowed, his body is not moving and his gaze is directed towards the other two. The light lime color of his dress testifies to his regal dignity. All these things point to the First Person from the Holy Trinity. The angel on the right wears a green dress, this is the color of the Holy Spirit, called the Giver of Life.
There are three angels, but only one cup: it creates the compositional and sensitive center of the icon.
Here we see that the three angels of the Old Testament are in a wordless conversation, the content of which is the fate of mankind, as the sacrificial cup is a symbol of the voluntary sacrifice of the Son.
There are some other symbols in the icon: the tree, the mountain and the house. the tree, the Mamre oak, is transformed into the tree of life and shows that the Trinity is the source of life.
The mountain embodies the holiness of the Trinity.
The house is the fact that God is the first Builder of everything. In fact, the House is located behind the angel with the features of the Father (Creator, Initiator of Construction), the Tree behind the middle angel (the Son is Life) and the Mountain behind the third angel (the Holy Spirit).