The Stolen Scissors
Image displayed with permission of British Library
The Stolen Scissors
- 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. 47r, 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 9 has 4 episodes. The painting's episode descriptions, locations, and keywords are:
- 1. Jacob the Short sews clothes near the icon of St Mary (top-left). The object(s) are church; icon; throne; curtain; monk cap; cloth. The living being(s) are Mary; tailor; monk.
- 2. An Arab man steals the scissors of Jacob; the scissors turn into a great serpent (top-right). The object(s) are horse; saddle; reins; scissors; snake; hat.
- 3. The Arab man returns the scissors to Jacob (bottom-left). The object(s) are scissors; monk cap. The living being(s) are monk; tailor.
- 4. The Arab man is annointed with oil and healed from his affliction (bottom-right). The object(s) are church; icon; throne; monk cap; lantern; oil. The living being(s) are Mary; tailor; monk.
- The number of PEMM manuscripts that have paintings of this story is 1. The total number of paintings of this story in PEMM manuscripts is 1.
- PEMM's ID number for this painting is 1666.
- 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.
