Icon

Object Details

Ethiopian Orthodox

Label Text

The diptych's composition of registers containing depictions of multiple events is complex. Particularly appealing are the artist's references to Ethiopian life: Mary spinning thread seated on a three-legged stool; the ball game; the style of the three yellow crowns; the lidded food basket on Salome's head; and the depiction of the Temple in Jerusalem as miniature Ethiopian churches. The hand-to-cheek pose and presence of "Eyachem" in the Nativity scene is more typical of Joseph. The final two scenes--the death and assumption of Mary--are rare in Ethiopian art and mix local and foreign artistic forms.

Left panel

top: "The Annunciation" and "The Visitation of Elizabeth" (Elizabeth, left; Mary, right)

middle: "He (Jesus) sleeping in the manger" with Mary flanked by "Hanna" and "Yoachim"

bottom: "Boys playing genna" and "The Magi giving a present to Jesus, Hanna"

Right panel

top: "Entrance of St. Mary to the Temple"

middle: "The Flight to Egypt" with Joseph and Salome

bottom, left: "The (Death) of St. Mary" and apostles

bottom, right: "The Ascension (Assumption) of St. Mary" with angels

Description

Diptych of distemper, gesso and cloth on wood; each panel having three registers with group scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary with red and green backgrounds.

Provenance

Ciro Taddeo, purchased in Addis Ababa, 1972 to 1998

Exhibition History

Heroes: Principles of African Greatness, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., November 16, 2019–October 3, 2021

Ethiopian Icons: Faith and Science, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., January 31-October 5, 2003

Published References

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.

James, E. 1999. Changes in Place, Changes in Context: the Conservation of an Ethiopian Icon. AIC Paintings Group Postprints. Saint Louis, MO. Washington, DC: American Institute for Conservation.

Stobaeus, Per. 2014. Josef: Om Jesu far i bibeln och den kristna traditionen. Stockholm: Artos & Norma.

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 [email protected] 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 in memory of Raffael and Alessandra Taddeo

ca. 1630-1700

Object number

98-3-3

Restrictions & Rights

CC0

Type

Painting

Medium

Distemper, gesso and cloth on wood

Dimensions

H x W x D: 51.7 x 43 x 2.5 cm (20 3/8 x 16 15/16 x 1 in.)

Geography

Ethiopia

See more items in

National Museum of African Art Collection

National Museum of African Art

Topic

bird

mother and child

furniture

Writing

horse

angel

Record ID

nmafa_98-3-3

Metadata Usage (text)

CC0

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ys7c2361924-44d7-4e32-a350-2288b0f54f8b