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Ethiopian Christ icon found 500 years on
24 December,. 2010 | The Telegraph
--------------------------------------------------------------------
An 15th century Ethiopian icon of the infant Christ child
sitting on his mother's knee was discovered after it was
cleaned by a British charity.
The central panel of the triptych had over the centuries become
blackened with the sprinkling of perfume that the monks use as they
worship.
The hugely important and stunning painted wood panel is now
visible in its original coloured glory, showing a pale-faced Jesus
with black curly hair and rosy cheeks.
His hand has three digits raised and two down as if blessing the
person looking at him.
He has a halo and is wearing a gown and is perched on his mother's
knee and she too has a halo.
The monks at the Monastery of St Stephen on an island in Lake
Hayq in the north of the African country believe the icon, known as
The One Who Listens, to be miraculous.
The artist had great skill, which is particularly obvious in the detail
of Mary's robes.
In the central panel are three other figures, two archangels, Michael
and Gabriel, armed with swords ready to protect the saviour and
the third, St Stephen, after whom the monastery is named.
The side panels have 12 figures upon them all looking inwards
towards the central picture.
They include Abuna TeklelyesusMoa, who sponsored the work,
various saints including St Peter and St Paul, and abbots from the
monastery.
It is one of the most celebrated icons in Ethiopia and is now housed
in a special museum with other ancient relics.
The British charity The Ethiopian Heritage Fund sent experts to
preserve the painting that had previously been covered with varnish.
Blair Priday from the charity, said: "This icon is one of the most
celebrated in Ethiopia and because of its veneration, over time, the
central panel had become blackened and was later painted over
with thick layers of varnish as protection.
"The faces of the mother and child were barely visible.
"The varnish was carefully removed so it regained the original
luminosity.
"The icon's repair was undertaken by Laurie Morocco, a foremost
icon restore, who camped in the monastery's grounds while he did
the work.
"In the mid 15th century a new technique of painting on wood with
an undercoating of Gesso was introduced resulting in a much more
luminous effect.
"When the varnish was removed by Laurie, one of the glories of
Ethiopian art was visible once more.
"St Stephen's was a very important monastery and seat of learning,
and although it was raided and lost some of its relics, many
remained including a beautiful cross, manuscripts and this icon.
"This ancient seat of learning now has a museum where these
incredible treasures are displayed in a small museum within the
monastery
"We could not have carried out the work without the support of the
Bureau of Culture and the Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Church and
our expert advisor Jacques Mercier."
Christianity was adopted by the Ethiopians in the fourth century
when King Ezra, ruler of the Axumite kingdom, was converted.
The country boasts one of the world's oldest illustrated Christian
manuscripts - the Garima Gospels - which the charity has also
conserved.
The charity has also been working on the rock churches of Tigray
in the highlands of north east Ethiopia.
These are built high in the sandstone cliffs that dominate the
landscape.
The churches are carved out of the rock and contain many beautiful
paintings of Christian saints many of which are indigenous to
Ethiopia.
In a church in Bahera, the saints on the church pillars had been
splashed with lime wash which has now been cleaned off.
The frescos that cover the walls of Debta Tsion are currently being
conserved.
Courtesy
24 December,. 2010 | The Telegraph
--------------------------------------------------------------------
An 15th century Ethiopian icon of the infant Christ child
sitting on his mother's knee was discovered after it was
cleaned by a British charity.
The central panel of the triptych had over the centuries become
blackened with the sprinkling of perfume that the monks use as they
worship.
The hugely important and stunning painted wood panel is now
visible in its original coloured glory, showing a pale-faced Jesus
with black curly hair and rosy cheeks.
His hand has three digits raised and two down as if blessing the
person looking at him.
He has a halo and is wearing a gown and is perched on his mother's
knee and she too has a halo.
The monks at the Monastery of St Stephen on an island in Lake
Hayq in the north of the African country believe the icon, known as
The One Who Listens, to be miraculous.
The artist had great skill, which is particularly obvious in the detail
of Mary's robes.
In the central panel are three other figures, two archangels, Michael
and Gabriel, armed with swords ready to protect the saviour and
the third, St Stephen, after whom the monastery is named.
The side panels have 12 figures upon them all looking inwards
towards the central picture.
They include Abuna TeklelyesusMoa, who sponsored the work,
various saints including St Peter and St Paul, and abbots from the
monastery.
It is one of the most celebrated icons in Ethiopia and is now housed
in a special museum with other ancient relics.
The British charity The Ethiopian Heritage Fund sent experts to
preserve the painting that had previously been covered with varnish.
Blair Priday from the charity, said: "This icon is one of the most
celebrated in Ethiopia and because of its veneration, over time, the
central panel had become blackened and was later painted over
with thick layers of varnish as protection.
"The faces of the mother and child were barely visible.
"The varnish was carefully removed so it regained the original
luminosity.
"The icon's repair was undertaken by Laurie Morocco, a foremost
icon restore, who camped in the monastery's grounds while he did
the work.
"In the mid 15th century a new technique of painting on wood with
an undercoating of Gesso was introduced resulting in a much more
luminous effect.
"When the varnish was removed by Laurie, one of the glories of
Ethiopian art was visible once more.
"St Stephen's was a very important monastery and seat of learning,
and although it was raided and lost some of its relics, many
remained including a beautiful cross, manuscripts and this icon.
"This ancient seat of learning now has a museum where these
incredible treasures are displayed in a small museum within the
monastery
"We could not have carried out the work without the support of the
Bureau of Culture and the Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Church and
our expert advisor Jacques Mercier."
Christianity was adopted by the Ethiopians in the fourth century
when King Ezra, ruler of the Axumite kingdom, was converted.
The country boasts one of the world's oldest illustrated Christian
manuscripts - the Garima Gospels - which the charity has also
conserved.
The charity has also been working on the rock churches of Tigray
in the highlands of north east Ethiopia.
These are built high in the sandstone cliffs that dominate the
landscape.
The churches are carved out of the rock and contain many beautiful
paintings of Christian saints many of which are indigenous to
Ethiopia.
In a church in Bahera, the saints on the church pillars had been
splashed with lime wash which has now been cleaned off.
The frescos that cover the walls of Debta Tsion are currently being
conserved.
Courtesy
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