Single Leaf from a Gospel Book with a Portrait of St. Luke Central Ethiopia, 15th century

Single Leaf from a Gospel Book with a Portrait of St. Luke

c. 1440–80

Central Ethiopia, 15th century

Sheet: 37 x 25 cm (14 9/16 x 9 13/16 in.)

Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1999.212

You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.

Did You Know?

The majority of Ethiopian manuscripts are written in Ge’ez, the ancient liturgical language of Ethiopia.

Description

Gospels are important Christian texts recounting the life of Christ, written by four disciples known as the Evangelists: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Gospel manuscripts across the medieval Christian world placed their portraits before their writings. This Ethiopian example shows Saint Luke, seated and holding writing accessories. Scholars associate the elongated face and supple lines of his garments with the Gundä Gunde Monastery in the northern Tigray region, well known for its artistic production. The monk who likely made this painting included Saint Luke’s name in the eastern African Ge’ez language (ሉቃስ, Lukas) and his symbol (the ox) at the top of the page.