The Trinity with Saints Mary Magdalen and John the Baptist
- Artist: Sandro Botticelli
- Date: c. 1491-94
- Medium: egg tempera on wood panel
- Museum: The Courtauld Gallery
- Collection record: The Courtauld Gallery website
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About this artwork
This is the painting titled “The Trinity with Saints Mary Magdalen and John the Baptist” by Sandro Botticelli. Created around 1491–94, it is an egg tempera on wood panel altarpiece that remains one of Botticelli’s most important works in the United Kingdom. The central vision of the Trinity dominates the composition: God the Father holds the cross bearing His crucified son, while a dove representing the Holy Spirit hovers between them. John the Baptist and Mary Magdalen flank the throne; the former is Florence’s patron saint, and the latter the patron of the convent of Sant’Elisabetta delle Convertite in Florence, a house of nuns who accepted repentant prostitutes. Their inclusion hints at the convent’s mission of protection and rescue. In the foreground, a smaller scene shows Tobias guided by Archangel Raphael; the young Tobias catches a healing fish to cure his father’s blindness, echoing the convent’s charitable work.
The painting recently underwent a major conservation treatment. Old cracks were repaired, the yellowed varnish and overpainting removed, and the original colors restored. Research revealed that Tobias and Raphael were originally positioned further back in a rolling‑hill landscape that was later painted over. Botticelli’s graceful line is evident in the main figures, while assistants likely handled some angel heads. A new frame, inspired by designs found on the panel’s back, has been added. The project was funded by a grant from the Bank of America Art Conservation Project.
See it in person
The Trinity with Saints Mary Magdalen and John the Baptist hangs in The Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House, London. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
