Ethiopian Triptych Icon. Ethiopian double-sided triptych Icon, with no less than six individual scenes. An object for personal devotion of exceptional quality. It shows on the main panel of one side the Virgin and Child flanked by archangels. On the left wing, Gabra Manfas Qeddus is depicted above two tiers of saints. The right wing shows the Crucifixion above another equestrian saint killing a Heathen.

The main panel on the other side shows two large standing abbot saints, one possibly representing Ewost’atewos, above a row of saints on a smaller scale, each holding hand-crosses. On the left panel Christ is raising the souls of Adam and Eve are depicted in the upper register and Saint George killing the dragon in the lower one. On the right panel there are further saints and an image of the Covenant of Mary, showing Christ blessing the Virgin. The smaller images of the icon are painted in the First Gondarine style and in both style and iconography they are close to the finest contemporary monumental painting and manuscript illumination. Without documentary evidence it is not possible to localize the origin of such icons, but the style itself emanated from Gondar, the seat of the Solomonic royal court, from which the country’s artistic traditions took their lead.