Ethiopia

The Walters' collection of Ethiopian icons, manuscripts, and processional crosses is one of the largest collections outside of Ethiopia. Historically, Ethiopia was a Christian kingdom with strong ties in both trade and religion to the cultures located around the Mediterranean. Ethiopia's Christian tradition dates back to the 4th century, when the ruler of the Aksumite kingdom converted to Christianity; by the 15th century, this African nation had developed a tradition of icon painting that rivaled that of the Orthodox empires.

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Above: How Astaraniqos slept on his bed using the picture of St. Michael as a pillow;
Below: How a blacksmith toiled in making a panel for the picture of St. Michael — Above: How Astaraniqos slept on his bed using the picture of St. Michael as a pillow; Below: How a blacksmith toiled in making a panel for the picture of St. Michael Title

late 17th century (early Gondarine) Period

W.835.72V Accession

Above: How Satan flew away like a raven/crow when Euphemia showed him the picture of St. Michael;
Below: How Satan came (again) looking like four women and St. Michael trod on him — Above: How Satan flew away like a raven/crow when Euphemia showed him the picture of St. Michael; Below: How Satan came (again) looking like four women and St. Michael trod on him Title

late 17th century (early Gondarine) Period

W.835.73R Accession

Above: How St. Michael came on horseback to change the bad content of the sealed letter to good, and how the wife of the nobleman received the letter; Middle: How the wealthy man heard that they married Ba?ran to his daughter; Below: How the wealthy man f — Above: How St. Michael came on horseback to change the bad content of the sealed letter to good, and how the wife of the nobleman received the letter; Middle: How the wealthy man heard that they married Ba?ran to his daughter; Below: How the wealthy man f Title

late 17th century (early Gondarine) Period

W.835.79V Accession

Above: How he put Bahran in a body of water, and how a shepherd found the child and brought him from the body of water;
Below: How the shepherd delivered the child, and the nobleman gave a sealed letter to Bahran — Above: How he put Bahran in a body of water, and how a shepherd found the child and brought him from the body of water; Below: How the shepherd delivered the child, and the nobleman gave a sealed letter to Bahran Title

late 17th century (early Gondarine) Period

W.835.79R Accession

Above: How the Heathen made the Christian swear when he loaned him gold, and one of his hands was paralyzed; Below: How the Heathen was baptized when he saw the power of St. Michael, and how he served with the Christian inside the church of St. Michael — Above: How the Heathen made the Christian swear when he loaned him gold, and one of his hands was paralyzed; Below: How the Heathen was baptized when he saw the power of St. Michael, and how he served with the Christian inside the church of St. Michael Title

late 17th century (early Gondarine) Period

W.835.111R Accession

Above: How the Jew went to the residence of the Metropolitan when he was cured; Below: How the Metropolitan baptized the Jew — Above: How the Jew went to the residence of the Metropolitan when he was cured; Below: How the Metropolitan baptized the Jew Title

late 17th century (early Gondarine) Period

W.835.116R Accession

Above: How the sick woman slept under a picture of St. Michael and he appeared to her; Below: How her household gave her a painting of St. Michael, and how she embraced it and offered gold to the church of St. Michael — Above: How the sick woman slept under a picture of St. Michael and he appeared to her; Below: How her household gave her a painting of St. Michael, and how she embraced it and offered gold to the church of St. Michael Title

late 17th century (early Gondarine) Period

W.835.108R Accession

Above: St. Michael with Moses at the Burning Bush;
Below: St. Michael instructs Moses to touch his staff to the Red Sea — Above: St. Michael with Moses at the Burning Bush; Below: St. Michael instructs Moses to touch his staff to the Red Sea Title

late 17th century (Gondarine) Period

W.835.59R Accession

Anaphora of Mary (Mass book) — Anaphora of Mary (Mass book) Title

2nd quarter 20th century Period

W.829 Accession

Archangel Michael and the Crossing of the Red Sea — Archangel Michael and the Crossing of the Red Sea Title

mid 19th century (Modern) Period

36.13.1 Accession

sword, wings, soldier, shoes Tags

Archangel Raphael and the Miracle of the Sea Monster — Archangel Raphael and the Miracle of the Sea Monster Title

mid 19th century (Modern) Period

36.13.2 Accession

african, angel, black, ethiopia, painting Tags

Archangels Michael and Gabriel — Archangels Michael and Gabriel Title

late 17th century (Gondarine) Period

W.835.90R Accession

herar Tags

Astaraniqos and his wife Euphemia feeding the poor on the feast day of the Archangel — Astaraniqos and his wife Euphemia feeding the poor on the feast day of the Archangel Title

late 17th century (early Gondarine) Period

W.835.72R Accession

Binding from Ethiopian prayer book — Binding from Ethiopian prayer book Title

mid 20th century Period

W.784.binding Accession

Binding from Gondar Homiliary — Binding from Gondar Homiliary Title

late 17th century (early Gondarine) Period

W.835.binding Accession

Binding from Two Ethiopian Prayer Books copied together — Binding from Two Ethiopian Prayer Books copied together Title

18th century Period

W.844.binding Accession

Coin Depicting an Anonymous King — Coin Depicting an Anonymous King Title

4th century Period

59.793 Accession

Diptych Icon with Saint George, and Mary and the Infant Christ — Diptych Icon with Saint George, and Mary and the Infant Christ Title

early 15th century Period

36.16 Accession

icon Tags

Diptych with Mary and Her Son Flanked by Archangels, Apostles and a Saint — Diptych with Mary and Her Son Flanked by Archangels, Apostles and a Saint Title

late 15th century Period

36.12 Accession

africa, child, jesus, man, color, mary, medieval, mother, son, teacher, resource, kit Tags

Diptych with Virgin and Child Flanked by Archangels; Scenes from the Lives of Christ and the Virgin, and Saints — Diptych with Virgin and Child Flanked by Archangels; Scenes from the Lives of Christ and the Virgin, and Saints Title

late 17th-early 18th century (Early Gondarine) Period

36.3 Accession

Dorotheus and his wife depressed when the feast of St. Michael was to be cancelled due to the month's want and hardship — Dorotheus and his wife depressed when the feast of St. Michael was to be cancelled due to the month's want and hardship Title

late 17th century (early Gondarine) Period

W.835.17V Accession

Double-Sided Pendant with the Virgin and Child with Saint George and the Kwer'atä Reesu with Täklä Haymanot and donor — Double-Sided Pendant with the Virgin and Child with Saint George and the Kwer'atä Reesu with Täklä Haymanot and donor Title

late 18th century (Gondarine) Period

36.5 Accession

Double-sided Diptych with Mary at Dabra Metmaq (Front); Saints (Back) — Double-sided Diptych with Mary at Dabra Metmaq (Front); Saints (Back) Title

late 17th century (Gondarine) Period

36.8 Accession

Empress Eudoxia judging John Chrysostom — Empress Eudoxia judging John Chrysostom Title

late 17th century (early Gondarine) Period

W.835.63V Accession

Ethiopian Gospels — Ethiopian Gospels Title

first half of the 16th century (Stephanite) Period

W.850 Accession

Ethiopian Gospels — Ethiopian Gospels Title

early 14th century Period

W.836 Accession

Ethiopian prayer book — Ethiopian prayer book Title

mid 20th century (Modern) Period

W.784 Accession

Folding Processional Icon in the Shape of a Fan — Folding Processional Icon in the Shape of a Fan Title

late 15th century Period

36.9 Accession

God the Father with the Twenty-four Elders and the Archangels Michael and Gabriel — God the Father with the Twenty-four Elders and the Archangels Michael and Gabriel Title

late 17th century (Gondarine) Period

W.835.89V Accession

Gondar Homiliary — Gondar Homiliary Title

late 17th century (early Gondarine) Period

W.835 Accession

Hand Cross — Hand Cross Title

13th-15th century (Medieval) Period

52.296 Accession

cross, face Tags

Hand Cross — Hand Cross Title

17th-18th century (Early Modern) Period

61.342 Accession

Hand Cross — Hand Cross Title

13th-15th century (Solomonic) Period

52.297 Accession

Hand Cross with Figure — Hand Cross with Figure Title

18th-19th century (Early Modern) Period

61.340 Accession

How Susanna prayed and St. Michael appeared to save her — How Susanna prayed and St. Michael appeared to save her Title

late 17th century (early Gondarine) Period

W.835.85R Accession

How his God appointed St. Michael Angel of Compassion and Mercy — How his God appointed St. Michael Angel of Compassion and Mercy Title

late 17th century (early Gondarine) Period

W.835.2V Accession

Icon of the Virgin and Child with Angels — Icon of the Virgin and Child with Angels Title

late 15th century Period

36.14 Accession

Knotwork headpiece — Knotwork headpiece Title

mid 20th century Period

W.784.1R Accession

Leaf from Early Gondarine Illuminated Manuscript with the Archangels Michael and Gabriel — Leaf from Early Gondarine Illuminated Manuscript with the Archangels Michael and Gabriel Title

late 17th century (early Gondarine) Period

W.835.103R Accession

Leaf from Ethiopian prayer book — Leaf from Ethiopian prayer book Title

mid 20th century Period

W.784.4V Accession

Leaf from Ethiopian prayer book — Leaf from Ethiopian prayer book Title

mid 20th century Period

W.784.5R Accession

One of Two Coins Depicting Ousanas and an Anonymous King — One of Two Coins Depicting Ousanas and an Anonymous King Title

4th century Period

59.794 Accession

aksum, aksumite, coin, ethiopia, ethiopian, gilt, ousanas, silver Tags

Pendant Cross — Pendant Cross Title

18th-19th century (Early Modern) Period

57.2254.4 Accession

Pendant Cross — Pendant Cross Title

19th century (Modern) Period

57.2254.35 Accession

Pendant Cross — Pendant Cross Title

19th century (Modern) Period

57.2254.24 Accession

silver Tags

Pendant Cross — Pendant Cross Title

19th century (Modern) Period

57.2254.53 Accession

Pendant Cross — Pendant Cross Title

18th-19th century (Early Modern) Period

57.2254.17 Accession

ethiopian Tags

Pendant Cross — Pendant Cross Title

19th century (Modern) Period

57.2254.54 Accession

Pendant Icon — Pendant Icon Title

19th century (?) Period

36.17 Accession

Processional Cross — Processional Cross Title

15th century (Solomonic) Period

54.2894 Accession