Description:

 AN ILLUSTRATED ETHIOPIAN BIBLE, 19TH CENTURY
Ethiopia, 19th century

Description:
A beautifully preserved illustrated Ethiopian manuscript Bible, written in Ge’ez script on vellum. The manuscript opens with a vibrant full-page miniature of an evangelist, likely Saint Mark, flanked by ecclesiastical figures. The facing folio presents a richly framed decorative text panel in alternating red and black inks, bordered with intricate vegetal motifs and topped by a winged cherub motif typical of Ethiopian illumination.

The manuscript exhibits bold linear composition and saturated pigments—yellows, purples, and reds—characteristic of 19th-century Ethiopian devotional art. Such manuscripts were used in monastic or clerical settings and were typically handmade by scribes and painters using natural pigments and ink.

Dimensions:
17.5cm x 13cm

Provenance:
Private UK collection

Comparable examples:

  • A comparable Ethiopian illustrated Gospel book sold at Sotheby’s, Arts of the Islamic World, 25 April 2017, Lot 41, for £9,375.

  • An Ethiopian Ge’ez manuscript Bible with similar illuminations achieved £8,750 at Christie’s, Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds, 27 October 2016, Lot 160.

  • A 19th-century Ethiopian Gospel manuscript with figural miniatures sold at Bonhams, Islamic and Indian Art, 11 June 2018, Lot 28, for £6,875.

Note:
Illustrated Ethiopian manuscripts of this type blend Christian iconography with a distinctive local artistic style. Their vibrant depictions and liturgical use mark them as both sacred objects and invaluable cultural artefacts.

 

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May 6, 2025 1:00 PM BST
London, United Kingdom

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