Late 16th-early 17th century AD. A wooden diptych with tempera on gesso-covered wooden boards; exterior and edges plain with gesso remains; inside frames painted yellow and green; panels attached with two double hinges of string; the right-hand panel showing the Crucifixion, Christ hanging from a columnar cross, bleeding from his five wounds, on either side of him are St John the Evangelist and Our Lady Mary, in attitude of grief, at the foot of the crucifix is the skull of Adam; the left-hand panel portraying the Virgin and Child flanked by archangels Michael and Gabriel, the Virgin is wearing an elaborate red mantle patterned with yellow-gold crosses, holding the Christ Child, wearing a yellow robe with a geometric pattern, looking up at the Virgin, and gently holding the edge of her garment, a small inscription indicating who the characters are. See Chojnaki, S., 'Notes on Art in Ethiopia in the 16th Century: an Enquiry into the Unknown Author(s)' in Journal of Ethiopian Studies, vol.9, no.2 (July 1971), pp.21-97.366 grams total, 16.5 x 23cm each (6 1/2 x 9"). Ex central London gallery since 2000; previously in a Southern France private collection; accompanied by a copy of a collector's catalogue and information page. This panel was painted in the period after the Adalite Jihad against Ethiopia (1527-43) which had witnessed a widespread destruction of Ethiopian Christian art. A period therefore of uncertainty in artistic terms. With the military presence of the Portuguese armies Jesuit missionaries were sent the Ethiopia (1555-1632) and through them religious images from Europe were disseminated. The painter of this panel certainly had access to European art as evident in the naturalistic face of Christ and the dramatic pose of St John and the reverential expression on the face of the Virgin. The most charming and unusual motif borrowed from European art are the halos of Mary and Saint John. The influence is however closer to the European influence on fifteenth century art, the sense of intimacy and human emotion conveyed between the figures rather that the more static copying of Jesuit prints typical of 17th century art. [No Reserve]