article

Varieties of Amhara graphic art

Expedition • 9 (4) • Published In 1967 • Pages: 2-11

By: Young, Allan Louis.

Abstract

This is a brief, popular magazine article on Amhara Church painting, occult drawing, and tattooing. The Byzantine-style Church paintings depict biblical scenes and persons, episodes from the lives of the saints, and the history of the Church. Painting employs various conventions such as designating the relative status and goodness of persons by their relative size, and depicting evil persons only in profile. Occult drawings are sewn into leather amulets and used as protective talismans. Whereas both of the above art forms are the products of ecclesiastics, tattooing is the product of laywomen for prophylactic, therapeutic, or cosmetic purposes. The article includes copies of eleven paintings and four photos: a castle, cleric, man wearing an amulet,and tattooed woman.

HRAF PubDate

1998

Region

Africa

Sub Region

Eastern Africa

Document Type

article

Evaluation

Creator Type

Ethnologist

Document Rating

5: Excellent Primary Data

Analyst

Ian Skoggard ; 1996

Field Date

1966

Coverage Date

1960s

Coverage Place

Gondar town, Ethiopia

Notes

by Allan Young

LCCN

66096352

LCSH

Amhara (African people)