About This Artwork
Miracles of Mary (Te'amire Maryam), late 17th century, reign of Yohannes (1667–82) or Iyyasu I (1682–1706)
Parchment, ink, tempera, wood, leather, cotton, and string
36.8 x 31.8 x 9.5 cm (14 1/2 x 12 1/2 x 3 3/4 in.)
Ada Turnbull Hertle and Marian and Samuel Klasstorner endowments, 2002.4
The Story of the Clubfooted Man is one of 72 hand-painted illustrations from a lavish 158-page bound manuscript devoted to the miracles of Mary. It was created in the late 17th century in Gonder, the newly established capital of Christian Ethiopia's Solomonic kings. The manuscript is part of a closely related group of manuscripts that were created during a period of great artistic innovation in Christian Ethiopia, when manuscript illuminators were exploring new approaches to their art including the introduction of narrative illustrations. It is likely that this book was commissioned by a wealthy individual as a high-status guide for family devotion.