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BOOK OF 29 MINIATURE PAINTINGS, in Ge'ez, ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM
BOOK OF 29 MINIATURE PAINTINGS, in Ge'ez, ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM [Ethiopia, mid-18th century] 67 x 51mm. 24 leaves: 1 2, 2-3 4, 4-5 6, 6 2, occasional text in Ge'ez written in black ink, TWENTY-NINE FULL-PAGE PAINTINGS of the Second Gondarene period, traces of erased paintings on a few blank versos (some rubbing with losses to pigment and gold). Contemporary blind-stamped maroon leather binding; modern cloth slip case. A rare example of a bound series of religious paintings. Folding strips of images with religious themes, a sänsul, or 'chain', are not uncommon. However, bound books of such paintings without any text are rare. The present manuscript contains no text other than occasional identifying phrases which appear beside some of the figures or scenes depicted. The style of illumination belongs to the Second Gondarene period, which flourished from c.1730 into the 18th century, becoming the basis for the most common modern-day religious painting styles. The style is characterised by the placing of figures against a coloured background, often graduated from red to yellow, or yellow to green, or all three colours. Figures typically have finely decorated garments, in which folds are shown by shading, as are the contours of the flesh of faces and necks. The palette of colours used is fairly wide and is unusual in that it includes some gilding. The subjects of the paintings are as follows: f.1v St Michael striking down a devil f.2 A devil banished by a figure holding up an image or icon of an archangel f.2v Flight into Egypt f.3v Unidentified equestrian saint f.4v St Iydlut'a, the mother of St Qirqos f.5 The martyrdom of St Qirqos f.6 The figure of an unidentified saint or apostle holding a fish f.6v An equestrian saint striking down a centaur. f.7 Annunciation (?) f.8v Trinity with an unnamed supplicant figure f.9v Entombment f.10 Resurrection or Ascension (most probably the latter judging from the iconography, in spite of following a picture of the Entombment.) f.11 unidentified equestrian saint f.12v St George on horseback, slaying the dragon f.13 Virgin and Child f.14 Kwer'atä re'esu ('the striking of his head') - Christ crowned with thorns f.15 Crucifixion f.16 St Gäbrä Mänfäs Qeddus f.16v the prostrate figure of a supplicant f.17 St Täklä Haymanot f.19v the priests of heaven f.20 the Ancient of Days (Beluyä Mäwa'el) f.21 Annunciation f.22 Nativity f.23 Baptism of Jesus by John f.24 Kidanä Mehrät ('the Covenant of Mercy') by which Christ gave his mother the power to intercede for souls, together with two supplicant figures f.25 two kneeling figures of children with doves, identified by the text simply as 'Jesus Christ'; a partly obliterated line of text reads 'how James ...'. f.25v an unidentified equestrian saint f.26 a fleeing horseman