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Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 3.0 · Hover to magnify, click for fullscreen
Original fileThe composition is divided horizontally by a bank of clouds, with the Holy Trinity positioned on a central vertical axis above a monstrance on an altar. In the upper realm, Christ is flanked by the Virgin Mary and John the Baptist, surrounded by apostles and biblical figures, while the lower realm shows a gathered group of theologians, popes, and scholars debating the nature of the Eucharist. The architectural symmetry and hierarchical arrangement reflect the orderly nature of divine and human knowledge.
Commissioned for the Stanza della Segnatura, this work serves as the theological counterpart to 'The School of Athens,' illustrating the Renaissance synthesis of revealed truth (Theology) and rational truth (Philosophy). It embodies the Neoplatonic concept of a hierarchical universe where the terrestrial sphere participates in the divine through the mystery of the sacrament.
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Translation
According to Matthew According to Mark According to Luke According to John
St. Thomas Aquinas
Depicted in the lower realm as a key theologian whose 'Summa Theologica' provides the intellectual framework for the Eucharistic doctrine shown.
Dante Alighieri
Depicted among the theologians on the right, signifying the role of the poet in articulating divine order, as seen in the 'Paradiso'.
Object
Oil on panel
religious
Linked Data
AI AI-cataloged fields generated by gemini-3-flash-preview on April 2, 2026. Getty identifiers are AI-inferred and may require verification.