Triptych Icon
1682–1706
- Medium
- Tempera on linen, mounted on wood and bound with cord
- Dimensions
- 67 × 74 cm (26 3/8 × 29 1/8 in.)
- Genre
- Triptych
- Museum
- Art Institute of Chicago
Styles
Tags
religionassemblyritualethiopiaJesusworshipprocessionEastern and Southern AfricaVirgin and child/Madonna and childlinen (material)painting (image making)Saintswood (plant material)Christian subjectsafrican Artarts of Africatriptychgondarcarvingbiblicalritual objectspigmenttempera
About
Although Orthodox Christianity has been practiced in the highlands of Ethiopia since the 4th century, this elaborate triptych is rendered in the courtly First Gonderine style, which flourished during the reign of King Iyyasu I (1682–1706) and incorporated bold, richly decorated forms and figures. With its central panel featuring the Virgin Mary and child Jesus flanked by archangels Gabriel and Michael, this icon reflects the popularity of Marian worship within the Ethiopian liturgy.