The Trinity with Saints Gregory and Romuald

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The Trinity with Saints Gregory and Romuald

Artist Placido Costanzi (Italian, 1702-1759)

Place of OriginRome, Italy

Date1726

DimensionsH: 62 in. (157.5 cm); W: 30 in. (76.2 cm)

MediumOil on canvas

ClassificationPaintings

Credit LinePurchased with funds from the Libbey Endowment, Gift of Edward Drummond Libbey

Object number

1975.10

Not on View

Label TextPlacido Costanzi painted this work as a sketch for the large ceiling fresco in the nave of the church of San Gregorio Magno, Rome. At the top of the painting is the Trinity: the dove representing the Holy Spirit, God the Father on the right, and Christ on the left. Kneeling below God the Father are Saint Gregory (right), in whose honor the church was built, and Saint Romuald, founder of the Camaldolese order of monks housed at San Gregorio. Below these figures, white-robed Faith sits enthroned with representations of the Four Continents kneeling before her: Europe (crowned and wearing a vivid blue cloak with traces of gold); immediately next to Europe is the New World/America; in the background is Africa, with an elephant headdress; and bowing low is Asia. Heresy falls backward, defeated.Published ReferencesMoschini, V., Le chiesi di Roma illustrate: No. 17, San Gregorio al Celio, Rome, n.d., p. 13 (fresco).

Clark, A.M., "An Introduction to Placido Costanzi," Paragone, XIX, May 1968, p. 53, n. 15 (fresco).

Toledo Museum of Art, The Toledo Museum of Art, European Paintings, Toledo, 1976, pp. 41-42, pl. 30.

"Treasures for Toledo," Toledo Museum of Art Museum News, vol. 19, nos. 2 & 3, 1976, p. 68, repr.

Poensgen, Thomas, Die Deckenmalerei in italienischen Kirchen, Berlin, 1969, pp. 32, 33, 34, 43, 95, repr. no. 42, p. 132.

Hall, Nicholas H. J. ed., Colnaghi in American, New York, 1992, p. 133.

Exhibition HistoryPhiladelphia Museum of Art; Houston, Museum of Fine Arts, Art in Rome in the eighteenth century, 2000, no. 205, p. 352-353, repr.