The 'Trinity', a fragment from a monumental brass; latten, England, 1375-1400

The 'Trinity' fragment from a brass; latten. Although incomplete, this piece depicts a seated God the Father, nimbed, crowned and bearded, and wearing a cloak over a close-fitting, belted robe. With His outstretched left hand He supports the corresponding arm of a tau crucifix between his knees, while the dove of the Holy spirit descends from His mouth on to the head of Christ. His right hand, now missing, would have been raised in benediction. The foot of the Cross rests on a sphere divided vertically into two halves, of which one contains a representation of a tree.

This is a standard late medieval representation of the Trinity from the canopy of a large brass; for example, the stylistically very similar one on the London 'Series B' brass of Sir Reginald Braybrook (engraved c. 1410) at Cobham, Kent. Claude Blair suggests that this is possibly the missing brass of Thomas of Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester (d. 1397), formerly in Westminster Abbey, of which the indent, at present inaccessible, still survives, see Age of Chivalry catalogue no. 625.

Although incomplete, this piece depicts a seated God the Father, nimbed, crowned and bearded, and wearing a cloak over a close-fitting, belted robe. With His outstretched left hand He supports the corresponding arm of a tau crucifix between his knees, while the dove of the Holy spirit descends from His mouth on to the head of Christ. His right hand, now missing, would have been raised in benediction. The foot of the Cross rests on a sphere divided vertically into two halves, of which one contains a representation of a tree.

M.39-1946