Cannibal of Qemer
Image displayed with permission of Art Institute of Chicago
Cannibal of Qemer
- This painting (also called an illumination) appears in a manuscript dated to 1667-1706. You can view this painting in the manuscript Art Institute of Chicago, Ada Turnbull Hertle and Marian and Samuel Klasstorner endowments, Manuscript No. 2002.4, f. 130v, s. G18819a, 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 125 has 3 episodes. The painting's episode descriptions, locations, and keywords are:
- 1. The cannibal surrounded by the bodies of those he killed (top-left). The object(s) are knife; decapitated bodies; dismembered bodies. The living being(s) are cannibal; murderer.
- 2. The peasant and other inhabitants fleeing from the cannibal, with several houses depicted in the background (right). The object(s) are spear; walking stick; house. The living being(s) are servant.
- 3. The cannibal offering water to a beggar covered by sores of leprosy (bottom-left). The object(s) are water container; recurve bow; house; leprosy. The living being(s) are cannibal; murderer; beggar.
- This painting has a caption in Geʿez, which Jeremy Brown has translated as: The man of the city of Qemer who ate 78 souls; How the man-eater slaughtered his wife and ate her flesh; house; house; Other people that he slaughtered and ate.
- The number of PEMM manuscripts that have paintings of this story is 46. The total number of paintings of this story in PEMM manuscripts is 94.
- PEMM's ID number for this painting is 1831.
- To reproduce this image online or in print, please contact the Art Institute of Chicago. 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.
