LOT 0375

Large Ethiopian Triptych Icon with the Virgin and Child

CIRCA 1720 A.D.

23 1/2 x 17 3/8 in. (4.3 kg, 59.5 x 44 cm).

Illustrating scenes from the Gospel of Luke and representing the nativity of Christ; the centre shows Virgin Mary sitting on a throne, portrayed as a young girl with her head covered by a typical female cap, dressed in a long red vestis talaris, and her body wrapped in a blue cloak and baby Jesus standing on her lap, archangels Michael and Gabriel standing on each sides, armed with swords and dressed in contrasting robes, Saint Gabriel holding a bouquet of roses, another bouquet below the Virgin and a male supplicant next to her, possibly the donor of the icon, holding a red flag surmounted by a cross; the left side panel with the Annunciation to the top and the lower part depicting an angel assisting St Luke with drafting his Gospel; the right hand panel with a Nativity scene to the top and the lower part depicting the visit of Saint Mary to Saint Elizabeth; inscriptions in Ge'ez to both side panels.

Acquired from Milos Simonovic, New York, USA, December 2009.
Property of an important West London collector, inventory no.1168.

Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D’Amato.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12037-216186.

Exhibited at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, USA, in 2008, and other locations.

Cf. Heldman, M., Munro-Hay Stuart, C., African Zion, The sacred art of Ethiopia, Yale University Press, 1993, cat.119, for an icon in similar style.

The icon, contemporary to the Second Style of Gondar, served as model for two icons in the Institute of Ethiopian Studies in Addis Ababa.