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Ethiopian Church Art

Painters, Patrons, Purveyors

Authors: Raymond Silverman and Neal Sobania

About the Book

Sumptuously illustrated with over 300 color photographs, this groundbreaking study explores the vital role of devotional paintings in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church through the lives and work of the individuals who make, commission and sell them. Designed to engage and inform the reader both visually and textually, Ethiopian Church Art will appeal to a wide and diverse audience, both general and academic, interested in art, art history, religion, history, Ethiopia and Africa.

Ethiopian Church Art is based on twenty-five years of research in the northern Ethiopian town of Aksum and in Addis Ababa, working with over two hundred individuals. Whereas Addis Ababa, the country’s capital, is a relatively new city, Aksum has been continuously occupied for over 2000 years. It was the capital of the ancient state of Aksum and the place where Christianity was introduced in the fourth century. Today it is a holy city and an important center for Orthodox painting.

As the authors, Raymond Silverman and Neal Sobania explain in the Introduction to their image-rich study, “We anticipate that some readers will open the book and want to read its text, while others will be interested in its visual imagery. We of course hope that the reader is interested in both image and text and suggest that they be explored in tandem. With this goal in mind, a good deal of thought has gone into making the book accessible as both a visual and literary text.”

Praise for the Book

“In this beautifully illustrated groundbreaking study of contemporary Ethiopian Orthodox art, Silverman and Sobania introduce the reader to the individuals who provide the aesthetic, spiritual and commercial energy for a vital tradition that has sustained the faith of Orthodox Christians for the better part of two millennia.”

—Yikunnoamlak Mezgebu Zerabiruk, Director General, Ethiopian National Archives and Library Agency, Addis Ababa

“This image-rich, landmark study charts the vitality of Ethiopian church art. From Aksum’s ateliers to Addis’ markets to diasporic churches, the voices of artists, gallerists, patrons and priests reveal complex contemporary practices. Essential reading for anyone interested in Ethiopian art, religious culture, and intersections of creativity, faith, and the market.”

—Kate Cowcher, Lecturer in Art History, University of St. Andrews, Scotland

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