Icon
date: label: Date
content: Late 16th-early 17th century
name: label: Maker
content: Ethiopian Orthodox
notes: label: Label Text
content: Since the 15th century, devout individuals have commissioned icons, wood panel paintings, as gifts to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Small icons might be worn suspended from the neck in cloth or leather bags. In either case the icon was believed to carry the prayers for mercy and healing directly to the Saint depicted, who was most often "Mary with her beloved Son."
label: Label Text
content: This left side of this diptych depicts a young warrior saint. He is probably St. George, who according to the Ethiopian liturgical guide rides a white horse. There is a particularly strong association in Ethiopia of St. George with Mary, the subject of the right panel. Mary is shown holding the Christ child and flanked by the archangels, Sts. Michael and Gabriel, with stylized blue wings. The presence of the archangels is another particularly Ethiopian addition to the standard Christian iconography. The depiction of Mary in a blue cloak with distinct folds is common. However the pose of the Christ child, grasping the hem of her garment is less typical. In most icons, He is shown making a gesture of blessing with that hand. Also Mary holds the Child with both hands, rather than holding a handkerchief in her right hand, the uniquely Ethiopian gesture found in many icons. This pose conveys a particularly human and tender image of a mother and child. Also uncommon are the small disks, held over Mary by the archangels. These do not seem to have an Ethiopian model and it has been suggested that they may relate to the Eucharist or to European communion dishes that are not used in Ethiopia but may have been depicted in an unknown prototype image.
label: Description
content: Two panel painting, distemper on gesso on wood. The left panel depicts a saint on a white horse on a red and green background. The right panel depicts Mary in a blue robe holding the Christ child in a red robe, flanked by angels with blue wings. The angels hold small disks. There is paint loss in the area of the horse's head. Fragments of green and red distemper on gesso remain on the exterior of the panels.
label: Provenance
content: Ciro Taddeo, Arlington, Virginia, acquired Addis Ababa, 1972-1998 to 2003
label: Exhibition History
content: BIG/small, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., January 17-July 23, 2006
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: 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 in memory of Richard M. and Jessie Condon
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African Art
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2003-6-1
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: 8.9 x 15.8 x 0.6 cm (3 1/2 x 6 1/4 x 1/4 in.) (open)