Icon of the Holy Trinity of Roublev

Description Icon of the Holy Trinity of Roublev

Rublev's icon of the Trinity is one of the so-called icons of Abraham's hospitality, recounted in the book of Genesis (ch. 18, v. 15). Sacred Scripture's account of the visit of three angels to Abraham has always been interpreted as a foretaste of the Holy Trinity. Indeed, this text, with its transition from the plural to the singular and the mention of three figures, evokes the Holy Trinity in a veiled and discreet way. In this icon, Andrei Rublev, a Russian Orthodox monk, has dropped the historical narrative to focus solely on the mystery evoked, that of the Holy Trinity. However, Abraham's hospitality is discreetly mentioned by the presence of a tree in the background, reminiscent of the oak of Mambré, and a church in the top left-hand corner of the icon, symbolizing Abraham's tent, unless Andrei Rublev intended this church to signify perfect worship of the Triune God. But let's return to the mystery of the Trinity that this icon is intended to evoke.

In this icon by Rublev, the Mystery of the Holy Trinity is symbolized by three figures with identical faces: three persons and a single nature, a single substance, God one and triune. There is no unanimity as to the role of each figure. This difficulty in discerning the three persons of the Holy Trinity demonstrates the unity of the Trinity, and makes it difficult to interpret the positions of the figures and the position of the hands, all the more so as the author himself, Andrej Rublev, left no mystical commentary on his icon of the Trinity.

Adopting the following identification for the three persons of the Holy Trinity: the central figure the Father, the angel on the left the Holy Spirit and the one on the right the Son, the attitude of each figure can be explained as follows:
the faces of the Father and Son are turned towards the Holy Spirit because, according to the Nicene-Constantinopolitan symbol, the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son, while not forgetting that everything the Son is, comes from the Father; for this reason, the Father's body is turned towards the Son. The Father's right hand pointing towards the Son accentuates the impression that the Father gives himself to the Holy Spirit through the Son, according to Greek tradition.

In Rublev's icon of the Trinity, the color of each figure's clothing is not without significance: the Father is dressed in purple, the imperial color, and the yellow band on his shoulder is an insignia of imperial dignitaries; the blue of the Father's cloak symbolizes Wisdom. The Son's blue tunic, the Father's wisdom, and the Son's green mantle, the color of nature, remind us that the second person of the Holy Trinity is Wisdom incarnate. For the third person of the Holy Trinity, it's difficult to give a color because the Holy Spirit blows where He wills and we don't know where He comes from; similarly, we can't attribute a color to the third person's vestments.

In this icon of the Trinity, the gazes are not insignificant: the Father looks at the Holy Spirit, who looks at the Son, and the Son looks at the cup symbolizing the Eucharist. These glances suggest that the three persons of the Holy Trinity are in conversation: the Father bows to the Holy Spirit to speak to him, and with his right hand points to the Son. What is he telling him, if not his loving plan to send the Son to become incarnate for man's salvation? And the Son's response is manifested by his gaze on the cup on the table.

In most icons of Abraham's hospitality, a calf's head is depicted in the cup, but here, a careful examination of the original allows us to discern the face of Christ according to the characteristics of the Turin Shroud. The original icon of this Trinity is quite large: 142 cm high and 114 cm wide. The table on which the bowl rests is shaped like a Roman-style altar, thanks to the rectangular opening on the front: this allows pilgrims to slide their hand inside the altar to touch the relics, in accordance with Roman custom.

The Russian monk Rublev, accustomed to the contemplation of celestial things, has thus given us, with this icon of the Trinity, an icon so full of symbols that it has been said with truth that "there is nowhere else such power of theological synthesis, such richness of symbolism and so much artistic beauty." This icon of the Holy Trinity is considered the jewel of Orthodox iconography.

Rublev was a Russian Orthodox monk born around 1365 and died around 1430; he was a monk in a monastery located 60 km north of Moscow (Zagorsk); it was around 1425 that he created this icon of the Holy Trinity. The icon is currently on display at the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.

All the icons, except formats PRA and PRB, are provided with a hole on the back, so they are easily fixable to a wall. This hole is notched to facilitate its centering. The icons may also be displayed on an easel.

For the format M108 see the easels IKNBZML12 or HCPL1
For the format G108 see the easel IKNG27
For the format GL108 see the easels RVAGL42 or IKNG27
For the format TG108 see the easels RVAGL42 or IKNSTG40
For the format PRB108 see the easel IKNPR74

You will find the easels in the tab or in the category "Accessories"