Ethiopian Painting

 

Traditional Ethiopian artistic rules require that good persons be shown in full face (two eyes visible) while evil people are to be shown in profile, with one eye visible. Another major characteristic is that the paintings show no perspective. The usual technique is to sketch in charcoal, outline the picture in black ink, and then fill in with different colors.

When depicting Biblical personages and subjects, the people have been shown as dressed in Ethiopian clothing, riding mules or horses with typical Ethiopian saddles, stirrups (often held only by the big toe) and other trappings, as well as carrying contemporary Ethiopian spears, shields and other weapons. For this reason, the art can be used to learn about Ethiopian daily life and social history.

 

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