Ethiopian icons : catalogue of the collection of the Institute of Ethiopian Studies, Addis Ababa University

"Until the middle of the 20th century, the paintings of Christian Ethiopia remained virtually unknown outside its borders. Recent discoveries and studies have revealed the extraordinary creativity of Ethiopian artists who, throughout the centuries, produced a vast quantity of panel paintings (icons), illuminated manuscripts and wall paintings in churches. By virtue of its geographical position, Ethiopian paintings belong to Africa, however due to close contacts with the adjacent areas, their art incorporated elements of the Eastern and Western Christian artistic tradition in their various forms, as well as those of Coptic and Islamic cultures and cultures of the peoples of the Indian Ocean area. Ethiopian artists succeeded in embracing and transforming significant elements of these traditions, while their paintings remained a unique phenomenon deeply rooted in the African soil." "This volume maintains a general catalogue of the exceptional collection of panel paintings (icons) at the Institute of Ethiopian Studies, Addis Ababa University in Addis Ababa. For centuries, these icons were faithfully guarded in churches and monasteries until coming to light in the 1960s. It was at this time that the Institute of Ethiopian Studies Museum gradually began acquiring them for its collection. Now, thirty years later, this substantial repository constitutes the largest and most representative collection of Ethiopian panel paintings in the world. This volume thus makes a significant contribution to the expansion of our knowledge of Ethiopian art, while at the same time revealing a new dimension of Christian art in Africa. As the first of its kind, the Catalogue contains a detailed description of each of the paintings and is preceded by an extensive introduction and chronological tables of the main themes in Ethiopian art. It concludes with a bibliography, an index and a glossary."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved… (more)