Holy Trinity of the Old Testament (Svjataja Troica), 19th century

Egg tempera on panel

Altezza x larghezza: 53,5 x 43,5 cm

also known as the Hospitality of Abraham (Philoxenia), as clearly indicated by the solemn calligraphic inscription in large Old Church Slavonic characters along the upper margin ("СТАЯ ТРОИЦА"). The composition faithfully follows the renowned theological archetype established by Andrei Rublev in the 15th century, here enriched by the narrative inclusion of the historical figures associated with the biblical event (Genesis 18). At the center of the scene, arranged around a table-altar—and strictly contained within an ideal circle symbolizing eternity and divine equality—sit three winged, traveling angels, the visible hypostases of the three Persons of the Trinity. Each angel holds a slender pilgrim’s staff, wears a halo of finely punched gold, and is draped in robes of vibrant, complementary hues: cinnabar red, deep blue-green, and golden ochre. On the table stands the Eucharistic cup, containing the head of the sacrificed calf—the focal point of the mystery of Redemption. Flanking the angelic figures, depicted in full length and in an attitude of profound, humble veneration, are the biblical patriarchs: on the left, Abraham, in the act of offering food to his celestial guests; on the right, Sarah, slightly bowed and wrapped in a brown maphorion. The background symbolically represents three elements from the biblical narrative, reinterpreted through a Christian theological lens: the magnificent, imposing architecture of Abraham’s dwelling on the left, symbolizing the Church and the Abode of the Father; and, in the center, the leafy oak tree of Mamre, which prefigures the tree of the Cross. and the jagged, geometric rocky mountain (Gorki) on the right—an emblem of asceticism and the Holy Spirit.