Artwork

Sf. Treime nou-testamentară

Sf. Treime nou-testamentară, by Ilie I Poienaru, unspecified, 1909
Sf. Treime nou-testamentară, by Ilie I Poienaru, unspecified, 1909

Sf. Treime nou-testamentară is an unspecified painting by the Byzantine icon painting artist Ilie I Poienaru. It dates from 1909 and is held in the collection of the Alba Iulia Orthodox Archdiocese. Created in 1909 by Romanian painter Ilie I.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1909 by Romanian painter Ilie I. Poienaru, the work titled “Sf. Treime nou‑testamentară” is part of the collection of the Museum of Ethnography. The image depicts a religious tableau that combines traditional iconography with a folk‑art aesthetic, presenting a stylised representation of the Holy Trinity within a bright, decorative setting.

Subject & Meaning

Beneath them, three smaller kneeling figures gather around a verdant bush, suggesting a devotional scene.

The composition features two bearded figures positioned on billowing clouds; the left figure grasps a tall wooden staff, while the right figure is clothed in a blue robe and a hat adorned with wings. Beneath them, three smaller kneeling figures gather around a verdant bush, suggesting a devotional scene. The inscription “troiță” at the top identifies the subject as a depiction of the Holy Trinity.

Technique & Style

Poienaru employs bold black outlines to define each form, filling them with flat, unmodulated colors that lend the scene a graphic, almost cartoon‑like quality. The background shines with a luminous yellow field and radiating golden rays, while the frame is embellished with red floral motifs, reinforcing the work’s folk‑inspired visual language.

History & Provenance

The painting entered the Museum of Ethnography’s holdings shortly after its creation, where it has been displayed as an example of early twentieth‑century Romanian religious folk art. Its attribution to Ilie I. Poienaru, a noted practitioner of popular painting traditions, has been confirmed through museum records dating to the early 1900s.

Artist & collection

Artist

Ilie I Poienaru

Romanian painter Ilie I Poienaru made religious scenes in the early 1900s. In our collection you’ll find his 1909 oil *Sf. Treime nou-testamentară*, a triptych depicting New Testament saints in long robes and halos. The…