Object Details
- Ethiopian Orthodox
- Label Text
- The rich colors, especially the green and deep blue, are typical of this time period in Ethiopian icon painting. The emphasis on Mary's hand gesture, the Christ child's book and the shawl's decorative folds and star and cross ornaments derive from a Jesuit copy of an Italian engraving of a Santa Maria Maggiore icon. Mary's handkerchief, however, is an Ethiopian status symbol.
- Left panel
- top: "St. Mary," "Our God is crucified," and "St. John" the Evangelist
- middle: Four apostles or saints
- bottom: "St. George" and the dragon
- Center panel
- "St. Mary with Her Beloved Son" flanked by the archangels "St. Michael" (left) and "St. Gabriel" (right)
- Right panel
- top: "Painting of Resurrection" (the Descent into Sheol ([Underworld]), "Adam and Eve"
- middle: Four apostles or saints
- bottom: Four apostles or saints
- Description
- Triptych of distemper and gesso on wood. Left panel: Crucifixion; Saints; St. George and the dragon. Central panel: Madonna and child flanked by archangels. Right panel: Christ with Adam and Eve; Saints in two lower registers.
- Provenance
- Ciro Taddeo, purchased in Addis Ababa, 1972 to 1998
- Exhibition History
- Conversations: African and African American Artworks in Dialogue - From the Collections of the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art and Camille O. and William H. Cosby, Jr., National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, November 7, 2014-January 24, 2016
- Ethiopian Icons: Faith and Science, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., January 31-October 5, 2003
- Published References
- Harney, Elizabeth. 2003. Ethiopian Passages: Contemporary Art from the Diaspora. London: Philip Wilson; Washington, D.C.: National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, p. 24, no. 5.
- James, E. E. 2005. Technical Study of Ethiopian Icons, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution. Journal of the American Institute for Conservation. Washington, DC. 44 (1): 41, 46.
- Kreamer, Christine Mullen. 2012. African Cosmos: Stellar Arts. Washington, D.C.: National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution; New York: Monacelli Press, p. 159, no. 8.4.
- Kreamer, Christine Mullen and Adrienne L. Childs (eds). 2014. Conversations: African and African American Artworks in Dialogue from the Collections of the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art and Camille O. and William H. Cosby, Jr. Washington, D.C.: National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, pp. 69, 101, 112, nos. 54, 63, pl. 41.
- Content Statement
- As part of our commitment to accessibility and transparency, the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art is placing its collection records online. Please note that some records are incomplete (missing image or content descriptions) and others reflect out-of-date language or systems of thought regarding how to engage with and discuss cultural heritage and the specifics of individual artworks. If you see content requiring immediate action, we will do our best to address it in a timely manner. Please email nmafacuratorial@si.edu if you have any questions.
- Image Requests
- High resolution digital images are not available for some objects. For publication quality photography and permissions, please contact the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives at https://africa.si.edu/research/eliot-elisofon-photographic-archives/
- Credit Line
- Gift of Ciro R. Taddeo
- Late 17th-early 18th century
- Object number
- 98-3-2
- Restrictions & Rights
- CC0
- Type
- Painting
- Medium
- Distemper, gesso and cloth on wood
- Dimensions
- H x W x D: 34.2 x 47 x 17 cm (13 7/16 x 18 1/2 x 6 11/16 in.)
- Geography
- Ethiopia
- See more items in
- National Museum of African Art Collection
- National Museum of African Art
- Topic
- equestrian
- mother and child
- snake
- cross
- sun
- horse
- moon
- angel
- Record ID
- nmafa_98-3-2
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ys7c22d20b9-2c89-466f-a67f-4ccdfae45aa7
