Ethiopian icons

Christianity has a long and venerable history in Ethiopia. The first community of Christians had just been established in Jerusalem, when, according to Acts 8:26-40, the Apostle Philip was sent to witness to “a eunuch of Great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians.” In the 4th Century, Christianity was proclaimed the official faith of the Ethiopian Aksumite Kingdom. It became the first nation in the world to use the image of the cross on its coinage.

Elements from Judaism were incorporated into Ethiopian religion in the 13th century, when a new dynasty sought to legitimize its hold on power by claiming lineage from the Hebrew King David through a son of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, named Menelik, who was said to have brought the Ark of the Covenant to Ethiopia. This fusion of Old and New Testament traditions, mixed with elements of Egyptian Coptic, Byzantine, Armenian, Nubian, and European sacred art, has produced a style of iconography unique in Christendom.

Processional crosses like the modern, hand-held version in carved wood with inset icon panels in my collection are an important part of Ethiopian worship. Chapels in a cruciform shape were even cut out of solid rock in Lalibela. But Ethiopia is exceptional among African states in emphasizing painting over three-dimensional art. Ethiopian scribes once excelled at manuscript illumination, but only a few examples of such early liturgical art survived a 16th Century Islamic “iconoclastic” campaign, hidden away in isolated monasteries.

Ethiopia’s sacred art came under threat, again, when a Communist military regime deposed Emperor Haile Selassi in 1974 and tried to suppress the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. The fall of Communism in 1991 has inspired a revival of icon-making, especially among folk artists whose sacred works are presented here in a fascinating variety of styles and media, including paintings on leather and parchment. Images that appear to be the work of the same artist have been grouped together.

These anonymous artisans work in the styles of the church schools where they train, continuing an art form rooted in ancient illuminated manuscript painting. The Ethiopian icon-makers copy time-honored prototypes but add their own touches. Some paint directly onto the tanned animal hides, while others add elaborate color backgrounds. A few leather paintings strive for traditional representational effects, while other pieces are darkly shaded with expressive distortions of the human form. A distinctive color palette reveals the hand of one artist. Braided frames in various colors signal the work of another icon-maker.

Ethiopian iconography is characterized by vibrant color and repeated decorative motifs, as can be seen in The Virgin Enthroned I on hand-woven cotton gabi cloth, The Virgin Enthroned II on leather, and The Virgin Enthroned III on parchment. Veneration of the Virgin has held a special place in Ethiopian Orthodox worship since a 15th Century emperor ordered she be honored in 30 feast days of the church calendar.

An Enthroned Mary appears, as well, in the second central tier of The Holy Trinity Altarpiece, beneath a representation of the Holy Trinity. This altarpiece is a beautiful example of the Ethiopian style of sequential iconographic story-telling, where various episodes from a sacred narrative--in this case, the Passion of Christ--are presented in a series of related picture panels, somewhat in the style of a holy comic book.

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Hand-held Processional Cross (Closed)
Hand-held Processional Cross (Closed)
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Carved wood mounted with parchment painted in tempera/acrylic
24 x 8 cm.

Hand-held Processional Cross (Closed)

Hand-held Processional Cross (open)
Hand-held Processional Cross (open)

Hand-held Processional Cross (open)

The Holy Trinity Altarpiece (Open)
The Holy Trinity Altarpiece (Open)
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on parchment mounted on wood
50 x 50 cm.

The Holy Trinity Altarpiece (Open)

The Holy Trinity Altarpiece (Closed)
The Holy Trinity Altarpiece (Closed)
50 x 27 cm.

The Holy Trinity Altarpiece (Closed)

The Holy Trinity Altarpiece (Detail)
The Holy Trinity Altarpiece (Detail)
The Holy Trinity

The Holy Trinity Altarpiece (Detail)

The Holy Trinity Altarpiece (Detail)
The Holy Trinity Altarpiece (Detail)
The Virgin Enthroned

The Holy Trinity Altarpiece (Detail)

The Holy Trinity Altarpiece (Detail)
The Holy Trinity Altarpiece (Detail)
St. George

The Holy Trinity Altarpiece (Detail)

The Holy Trinity Altarpiece (detail)
The Holy Trinity Altarpiece (detail)
Christ Before Pilate

The Holy Trinity Altarpiece (detail)

The Holy Trinity Altarpiece (Detail)
The Holy Trinity Altarpiece (Detail)
The Crucifixion

The Holy Trinity Altarpiece (Detail)

The Holy Trinity Altarpiece (Detail)
The Holy Trinity Altarpiece (Detail)
The Deposition

The Holy Trinity Altarpiece (Detail)

The Holy Trinity Altarpiece (Detail)
The Holy Trinity Altarpiece (Detail)
The Resurrection

The Holy Trinity Altarpiece (Detail)

The Crucifixion Altarpiece
The Crucifixion Altarpiece
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on parchment mounted on wood
25 x 28 cm. (open)

The Crucifixion Altarpiece

The Holy Trinity I
The Holy Trinity I
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/acrylic on parchment
31 x 22.5 cm.

The Holy Trinity I

The Holy Trinity II
The Holy Trinity II
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on parchment mounted on wood
25 x 33.5 cm.

The Holy Trinity II

The Holy Trinity
The Holy Trinity
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on parchment mounted on wood
30 x 40.5 cm.

The Holy Trinity

The Expulsion from Paradise
The Expulsion from Paradise
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on leather
15 x 23 cm.

The Expulsion from Paradise

The Annunciation I
The Annunciation I
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on leather
27.5 x 18 cm.

The Annunciation I

The Annunciation II
The Annunciation II
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on leather
22.5 x 20.5 cm.

The Annunciation II

The Virgin Enthroned I
The Virgin Enthroned I
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on hand woven cotton gabi cloth
60 x 100 cm.

The Virgin Enthroned I

Virgin Enthroned III
Virgin Enthroned III
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on leather
22.5 x 16 cm.

Virgin Enthroned III

The Virgin Enthroned II
The Virgin Enthroned II
Unknown Artist
Tempera/gouache on leather
19.5 x 18 cm.

The Virgin Enthroned II

The Virgin Enthroned IV
The Virgin Enthroned IV
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on leather
33 x 24 cm.

The Virgin Enthroned IV

Coronation of the Virgin
Coronation of the Virgin
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on leather
35 x 28.5 cm.

Coronation of the Virgin

Intercession of the Virgin
Intercession of the Virgin
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on leather
35 x 28.5 cm.

Intercession of the Virgin

the Nativity I
the Nativity I
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on leather
30.5 x 39.5 cm.

the Nativity I

the Nativity II
the Nativity II
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on leather
26 x 19 cm.

the Nativity II

The Adoration of the Magi I
The Adoration of the Magi I
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on leather
16 x 21.5 cm.

The Adoration of the Magi I

The Three Kings I
The Three Kings I
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on leather
28.5 x 40 cm.

The Three Kings I

The Three Kings II
The Three Kings II
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on leather
30 x 40 cm.

The Three Kings II

Presentation in the Temple
Presentation in the Temple
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on leather
30.5 x 20 cm.

Presentation in the Temple

Flilght into Egypt
Flilght into Egypt
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on leather
30 x 20.5 cm.

Flilght into Egypt

The Nativity and Flight into Egypt
The Nativity and Flight into Egypt
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on leather
30 x20.5 cm.

The Nativity and Flight into Egypt

The Flight into Egypt
The Flight into Egypt
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/acrylic on leather
30 x 41 cm.

The Flight into Egypt

The Baptism of Christ
The Baptism of Christ
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on leather
33 x 24.5 cm.

The Baptism of Christ

Jesus Heals the Blind Man
Jesus Heals the Blind Man
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on leather
21.5 x 16 cm.

Jesus Heals the Blind Man

Jesus Stills the Storm
Jesus Stills the Storm
Tempera/gouache on leather
20 x 30 cm.

Jesus Stills the Storm

The Triumphal Entry
The Triumphal Entry
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on leather
29 x 39.5 cm.

The Triumphal Entry

The Last Supper
The Last Supper
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on leather
25.5 x 18 cm.

The Last Supper

Jesus Washes Peter
Jesus Washes Peter
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on leather
20 x 30 cm.

Jesus Washes Peter

Jesus is Arrested in Gethsemane
Jesus is Arrested in Gethsemane
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on leather
40.5 x 30 cm.

Jesus is Arrested in Gethsemane

Jesus Prays in Gethsemane
Jesus Prays in Gethsemane
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on leather
40 x 30 cm.

Jesus Prays in Gethsemane

Christ Before Pilate
Christ Before Pilate
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on leather
40.5 x 33.5 cm.

Christ Before Pilate

Jesus Stumbles Under the Cross
Jesus Stumbles Under the Cross
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on leather
40 x 33.5 cm.

Jesus Stumbles Under the Cross

Simon Helps Christ Carry the Cross
Simon Helps Christ Carry the Cross
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on leather
41 x 34 cm.

Simon Helps Christ Carry the Cross

Veronica Wipes the Face of Christ
Veronica Wipes the Face of Christ
Unknown Ethiopian artist
Tempera/gouache on leather
41 x 34 cm.

Veronica Wipes the Face of Christ

Simon Helps Christ Carry the Cross II
Simon Helps Christ Carry the Cross II
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on leather
30 x 20.5 cm.

Simon Helps Christ Carry the Cross II

Simon Helps Christ Carry the Cross III
Simon Helps Christ Carry the Cross III
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on leather
30 x 20.5 cm.

Simon Helps Christ Carry the Cross III

The Crucifixion I
The Crucifixion I
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on leather
20 x 16 cm.

The Crucifixion I

The Crucifixion II
The Crucifixion II
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on leather
21.5 x 16 cm.

The Crucifixion II

The Crucifixion III
The Crucifixion III
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on leather
40 x 30 cm.

The Crucifixion III

The Crucifixion IV
The Crucifixion IV
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on leather
25.5 x 18 cm.

The Crucifixion IV

The Crucifixion V
The Crucifixion V
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on leather
30 x 20.5 cm.

The Crucifixion V

The Entombment of Christ
The Entombment of Christ
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on leather
39.5 x 33.5 cm.

The Entombment of Christ

The Resurrection
The Resurrection
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on leather
27.5 x 17 cm.

The Resurrection

The Resurrection II
The Resurrection II
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on leather
40 x 33 cm.

The Resurrection II

The Resurrection III
The Resurrection III
Uknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on leather
29 x 22 cm.

The Resurrection III

The Ascension of Christ
The Ascension of Christ
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on leather
40 x 30 cm.

The Ascension of Christ

The Archangel Michael
The Archangel Michael
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/Acrylic on parchment
40 x 32 cm.

The Archangel Michael

The Angel Gabriel & the Fiery Furnance I
The Angel Gabriel & the Fiery Furnance I
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on leather
38.5 x 29 cm.

The Angel Gabriel & the Fiery Furnance I

The Angel Gabriel & the Fiery Furnance II
The Angel Gabriel & the Fiery Furnance II
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on leather
19.5 x 14.5 cm

The Angel Gabriel & the Fiery Furnance II

St. George I
St. George I
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on leather
25 x 18

St. George I

St. George II
St. George II
Unknown Ethiopian Artist
Tempera/gouache on leather
28.5 x 16 cm.

St. George II

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