Icon
date: label: Date
content: 18th century
name: label: Maker
content: Ethiopian Orthodox
notes: label: Label Text
content: The Ethiopian Orthodox practice of wearing small icons suspended from the neck in cloth or leather bags seems to date to the second half of the 15th century. They were believed to protect against evil. Later, a pierced suspension cylinder, as on this icon, would make these personal icons a true pendant form. Double-sided pendants would become more common in the 17th and 18th centuries. While usually concealed by their protective wrappings, the pendant exteriors would be carved like this example or more simply painted. The subject matter and style of the images relates to the larger panel icons. Typically on the first side, Mary is shown in a blue shawl, holding the Christ child. Both make gestures of blessing and the child holds a rectangular object, perhaps a book. The inclusion of the archangels Michael and Gabriel, and the juxtaposition of Mary and St. George are traditional Ethiopian additions to the iconography. On the door panel, the equestrian figure is one of a series of young warrior saints in Ethiopian art that are generally identified by the color of the horse. A white horse usually signifies St. George.
label: Label Text
content: The opposite side of the pendant depicts the Crucifixion with Mary and St. John, and the sun and the moon in the sky. The door panel is of Christ's ascent from purgatory with Adam and Eve.
label: Description
content: Wood double sided pendant icon. Side A : Virgin Mary and Christ child, flanked by archangels with door panel of St. George and dragon. Side B: Crucifixion with Mary and St. John and door panel of Christ's ascent from purgatory with Adam and Eve.
label: Provenance
content: Rod and Nancy E. MacDonald, acquired Ethiopia,1973/1975 to 2015
label: Content Statement
content: 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 Please note that some records are incomplete (missing image or content descriptions) and others reflect out-of-date language or systems of thought regarding how to engage with and discuss cultural heritage and the specifics of individual artworks.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.
label: Image Requests
content: 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/
place: label: Geography
content: Ethiopia
topic: label: Topic
content: Shrine/Altar
label: Topic
content: equestrian
label: Topic
content: mother and child
label: Topic
content: horse
label: Topic
content: male
label: Topic
content: couple
label: Topic
content: angel
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African Art Collection
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift in memory of Nancy E. MacDonald
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African Art
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2015-7-9
objectType: label: Type
content: Painting
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: CC0
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: Wood, paint, ink
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D: 9.9 × 20.8 × 1.6 cm (3 7/8 × 8 3/16 × 5/8 in.) (open)