Ethiopian Orthodox Coptic Church Icons
Our hand painted and hand carved icons are authentic pieces of church art from Ethiopia, which is the second oldest continuous Christian state in the world. These kinds of pocket icons are popular among the Ethiopian orthodox churches and were usually commissioned by church patrons and priests in the form of single panels, diptychs and triptychs as acts of sacred donations to the church; stored within the church with other sacred objects, icons were displayed on holy holidays and public processionals.
The dominant theme of many of the painted icons was usually images of Mary the mother of God, the infant Jesus and the crucifixion as well as saints as universal as St George and local saints such as Takla Haymanot, St Yared and others.The paintings are a true expression of piety, there is a down to earth grace and beauty in their simplicity of style and structure with their ubiquitous warm colours and skilled composition. Both the painting and carving methods imitate the Aksum style of the 16th century and earlier as Aksum was converted to Christianity as early as the 3rd and 4th centuries. The wood they are constructed from is local Zegwa, wera or wara; the doors are hinged in the traditional manner with cotton string.
COMING SOON: ETHIOPIAN ART / HISTORY RESOURCE WEBSITE