Trinity

The Trinity, dated around 1430 and attributed to the Master of the Saint Lambrecht Votive Altarpiece, now in the Belvedere in Vienna, is a work from the Austrian school of the early fifteenth century. The Austrian painting tradition of this period drew on Bohemian, Bavarian, and Italian influences while developing a distinctive local character. The Trinity as a devotional subject posed particular iconographic challenges because the three Persons had to be distinguished while the unity of the Godhead was maintained. The Belvedere panel represents the sophisticated devotional culture of the Austrian monasteries and religious houses that were the primary patrons of painting in the region.

The master employs a gold ground with the refined figure style of the Austrian Gothic school, influenced by the Bohemian tradition. The three Persons of the Trinity are distinguished through iconographic attributes and positioning. Color is clear and jewel-like. The panel shows careful attention to facial expression in conveying the theological solemnity of the subject.