Icon
date: label: Date
content: Late 17th century
name: label: Maker
content: Ethiopian Orthodox
notes: label: Label Text
content: The tender, interactive pose of Mary and the Christ child is developed from an Italian engraving (copied from an icon in Rome's Santa Maria Maggiore), which Jesuit missionaries introduced to Ethiopia early in the 17th century. The placement of Michael and Gabriel and the juxtaposition of imagery of Mary and St. George slaying a serpentlike dragon are traditional Ethiopian imagery. The elaboration of the clothing, particularly the use of patterned textiles, reflects the richness of court life and the use of Indian fabrics. The detail of Mary's white pleated cap, however, probably derives from Cretan icons.
label: Label Text
content: Left panel
label: Label Text
content: St. George slaying the dragon
label: Label Text
content: Right panel
label: Label Text
content: Mary with the Christ child flanked by the archangels Michael and Gabriel
label: Description
content: Distemper on wood diptych composed of St. George and the Dragon on the proper right panel, with an equestrian saint on a white horse spearing a serpent on a background of red seperated by a green section. The proper left panel is composed of Mary in a blue shawl/cloak flanked by two archangels with swords. The Christ child in patterned yellow garment sits on Mary's proper left arm, looking at her face and holding a book. Mary has red markings on her cheeks and neck, holds a patterned handkerchief and wears white pleated cap.
label: Description
content: The proper left panel is composed of Mary in a blue shawl/cloak flanked by two archangels with swords. The Christ child in patterned yellow garment sits on Mary's proper left arm, looking at her face and holding a book. Mary has red markings on her cheeks and neck, holds a patterned handkerchief and wears white pleated cap.
label: Provenance
content: Unknown maker, late 17th century; acquired by anonymous antiques dealer, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, unknown date; sold to Ciro Taddeo (born 1944), Arlington, Virginia, 1972; given to Bridget (born 1937) and Frank W. Erwin (born 1931), Arlington, Virginia, 1973; donated to the National Museum of African Art, 1994.
label: Exhibition History
content: Ethiopian Icons: Faith and Science, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., January 31-October 5, 2003
label: Published References
content: 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, 46-47.
label: Published References
content: Moffett, Dana and Stephen P. Mellor. 2003. The Curator-Conservator Collaboration: Remembering Roy Sieber." African Arts 36 (2), pp. 50-51, no. 10.
label: Published References
content: Piechocinski, Michael. 1989. "The Iconography of Ethiopia." Sacred Art Journal, 10 (3), p. 108.
label: Published References
content: Rudolf Mangisch Galerie und Auktionshaus. 1992. Auction catalogue. Zurich: back cover.
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: equestrian
label: Topic
content: mother and child
label: Topic
content: snake
label: Topic
content: weapon
label: Topic
content: furniture
label: Topic
content: horse
label: Topic
content: angel
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African Art Collection
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Frank W. Erwin
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African Art
identifier: label: Object number
content: 94-21-1
objectType: label: Type
content: Painting
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: CC0
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: Distemper and gesso on wood
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D: 19.8 x 33.6 x 2.1 cm (7 13/16 x 13 1/4 x 13/16 in.)