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Princeton Ethiopian, Eritrean, and Egyptian Miracles of Mary (PEMM) project

Artist Falls from Ladder

Image displayed with permission of Ethiopian Manuscript Microfilm Library

Artist Falls from Ladder

  • This painting (also called an illumination) appears in a manuscript likely made in Addis Ababa, Southern Ethiopia, and dated to 1875-1913. You can view this painting in the manuscript Ethiopian Manuscript Microfilm Library, HMML Project ID EMML, Manuscript No. 76, f. 18r, s. 37, 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 33 has 2 episodes. The painting's episode descriptions, locations, and keywords are:
  • 1. The icon of St Mary, who extends her hand to save the painter (bottom-center). The object(s) are church; icon; throne. The living being(s) are Mary; painter.
  • 2. The painter falling down from the scaffold (bottom-right). The object(s) are scaffolding; hell; hellfire; flame; fire. The living being(s) are painter; demon.
  • The number of PEMM manuscripts that have paintings of this story is 37. The total number of paintings of this story in PEMM manuscripts is 45.
  • PEMM's ID number for this painting is 1103.
  • To reproduce this image online or in print, please contact the Ethiopian Manuscript Microfilm 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.
pricenton ethiopian eritrean & egyptian miracles of marry project

The Princeton Ethiopian, Eritrean, and Egyptian Miracles of Mary (PEMM) project is a comprehensive resource for the 1,000+ miracle stories written about and the 2,500+ images painted of the Virgin Mary in these African countries, and preserved in Geʿez between 1300 and the present.

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