A Veszprém Megyei Múzeumok Közleményei 22. (Veszprém, 2002)

S. Lackovits Emőke: „Ó, áldandó Szentháromság ...” Szentháromság tisztelete és ábrázolásai a Bakonyi és a Balaton-felvidéki vallásos népéletben

artists provided the prototypes and patterns for these mass-produced depictions distributed by door-to-door picture salesmen and traders in devotional articles. Among the 455 pieces in the sacral collection of the museum, there are 13 Holy Trinity pictures. Of these, three of them depict the Holy Trinity enthroned. Parallels to these are known from Italy, Slovenia, among the Bavarian glass pictures (Hinterglas), from Northern Hungary, as well as the glass icons of Jablonka, Máramaros and Fiizesmikola, and in addition, from pictures intended for personal devotion. The most widespread picture is the baptism of Christ, where the Father's presence is shown by his hand, and the Holy Spirit by the generally known and used symbol, the dove. The finest compositions known are from Italy, and the prototype of the representation is also from there: this is Andrea del Verocchio's wall painting of 1473. A popular type of picture was the Trinity appearing together with the Holy Family, the parallels to which are most often found among the tiny pictures for private devotion. The most widespread, most popular depiction surviving in the largest number of examples is the Baroque representation of the coronation of Mary. This type of picture is based on ecclesiastical tradition, and in it the Holy Trinity enthroned places a crown on the head of the Holy Virgin surrounded by angels. This variant was extraordinarily frequent and popular in the whole of European art, even preceding the Baroque period. Besides the large number of Italian works, it is known from German shrines as a devotional picture, and also from Slovenia, the Czech Republic, and several places in the Hungarian language territory. In this section of the museum collection, these form the most notable examples. A type found less frequently in the Hungarian peasant culture is a depiction of the throne or seat of grace. Here the Father seated on the throne holds the crucified Son in his lap, whilst the dove of the Holy Spirit hovers between them. Fine examples are known from Austrian, German, French, Italian and Slovenian art. This type was particularly popular in the Bavarian peasant culture (Sterbekreuze, Stallsegen). In the Hungarian language territory, most are known from Upper Northern Hungary. Among the pictures for personal devotion, copies of the Sonntagberg shrine picture can also be found in large numbers. The Museum also has examples of this type. The Holy Trinity pictures of popular religion are characterised by a stage-like composition. In pictorial, concentrated form, they presented the Holy Scriptures and Biblical stories to the onlookers, directing the attention to what is essential, deepening knowledge of the faith and prompting prayer. The decisive majority of them betray a Baroque spirituality. In the sacral section of the house interior, they were always placed in order of rank. A section of the depictions kept in the Ethnographic Collection of the „Laczkó Dezső" Museum consists of glass pictures, presumably originating from German workshops. A larger section still are paper pictures, produced between 1880 and 1910, mostly by Plane and Son, as well as in the Vienna printing works of Franz Doll. Some of the others are from Dresden, the printers of Limburg, Treutier Conrad and Taube, as well as Tolt Gottfried's printers. The activities of the Augsburg centre for the production of devotional pictures must not be ignored either. At the same time, the significance of the role of the Hungarian printers cannot be excluded, as from 1858 devotional pictures produced in these were widely distributed, including depictions of the Trinity. ... 1 in the same way as at markets, saint's day festivals, and traders in devotional articles. (E. g., the inhabitants of Magyarpolány always obtained their devotional pictures from the Jewish merchants of Pápa.) It was also customary to give them as presents on special occasions (confirmations, weddings). Veneration of the Holy Trinity is also detectable in the Protestant communities of the region. The symbol of the Holy Trinity is to be found in the majority of Reformed churches, mainly on the inner surface of the pulpit crown (soundig board). In the hymn books are a large number of songs in praise of the Trinity. In popular religion, however, there is unfortunately hardly any trace at all of this veneration of the Trinity. I should like to express my thanks here to all those who have provided me with data. In particular, I am grateful for the unselfishness of Mrs. Károly Tamás, Vilma Kiss-Tóth (Szentgál) and Ferenc Ebele, parish priest of Magyarpolány. My thanks to Anna Sonnevend and Gergely Sonnevend for help with the translations. Thanks to Karola Csóka for the opportunity to research in the Queen Gizella Museum of Ecclesiastical Art, and to grand provost József Körmendy for providing access to material in the Archiepiscipal Archives. The research and treatment were supported by OTKA GRANT T 026586. 172