The Corpse's Flower
Image displayed with permission of British Library
The Corpse's Flower
- This painting (also called an illumination) appears in a manuscript taken from King Tewodros's royal library in Magdala, Southern Ethiopia, and dated to 1721-1730. You can view this painting in the manuscript British Library, "Orient" Collection, Manuscript No. 648, f. 36v, or learn more about this manuscript at its PEMM Manuscript page. You can also read the related story at its PEMM Story page.
- Many Geʿez manuscript paintings are in "Synoptic Narrative Art” style; that is, a single painting depicts multiple moments in the story, providing a series of vignettes representing different plot points. PEMM calls these "episodes". This painting of PEMM Story ID 138 has 4 episodes. The painting's episode descriptions, locations, and keywords are:
- 1. The sinful deacon is killed by his enemies (top-left). The object(s) are shackles; bonds; spear; sword scabbard.
- 2. St Mary appears to a deacon and commands him to disinter the killed man and rebury him (top-right). The living being(s) are Mary; Jesus Christ.
- 3. The killed deacon is disintered and they find a flower growing out of his mouth (bottom-left). The object(s) are plant; flower; head covering; burial shroud.
- 4. The killed deacon is reburied in consecrated ground (bottom-right). The object(s) are burial shroud; church; icon. The living being(s) are Mary.
- The number of PEMM manuscripts that have paintings of this story is 2. The total number of paintings of this story in PEMM manuscripts is 2.
- PEMM's ID number for this painting is 1715.
- To reproduce this image online or in print, please contact the British Library. PEMM does not own the rights.
- If you think any of the information on this page is incorrect (e.g., the location, date, description, captions), please use our PEMM Feedback Form to let us know. We depend on users like you to improve the site.
