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

Mary Clothes Monk

Image displayed with permission of Bibliothèque nationale de France

Mary Clothes Monk

  • This painting (also called an illumination) appears in a manuscript likely made in Gondar, Western Ethiopia, and dated to 1700-1799. You can view this painting in the manuscript Bibliothèque nationale de France, Ethiopien d'Abbadie Collection, Manuscript No. 114, f. 11r, s. 23, 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 404 has 2 episodes. The painting's episode descriptions, locations, and keywords are:
  • 1. The poor monk asks St Mary for the foot that he requires (right). The object(s) are throne. The living being(s) are Mary; Jesus Christ; monk.
  • 2. St Mary appears to the poor monk in a vision while he sleeps (left). The object(s) are bed; blanket; food; clothes. The living being(s) are Mary; monk.
  • This painting has a caption in Geʿez, which Jeremy Brown has translated as: How that monk asked of the Lady Mary saying, "Prescribe for me what I will eat and what I will eat.".
  • The number of PEMM manuscripts that have paintings of this story is 9. The total number of paintings of this story in PEMM manuscripts is 11.
  • PEMM's ID number for this painting is 1434.
  • To reproduce this image online or in print, please contact the Bibliothèque nationale de France. 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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