Reserve

Crosses are perhaps the most characteristic expression of the artistic creativity of Christian Ethiopia.

Crosses are perhaps the most characteristic expression of the artistic creativity of Christian Ethiopia. Beginning with the introduction of Christianity in the 4th century and throughout the course of Ethiopia’s eventful history, the use of the cross as a symbol of faith has remained an integral part of Ethiopia’s cultural heritage.

The rich material presented by Professor Stanislaw Chojnacki in this scholarly work is an in-depth analysis of a vast collection of Ethiopian crosses found within the borders of Ethiopia and – increasingly – in museums around the world.

Ethiopian Crosses, like its predecessor Ethiopian Icons, represents a highly significant contribution to the field of Ethiopian Studies and is the culmination of more than thirty years of dedicated research.

 

Librarian, Museologist and Art Historian, Stanislaw Chojnacki was founder and curator of the University College Museum, Addis Ababa, from 1952 to 1963 and subsequently of the Museum and Art Gallery of the Institute of Ethiopian Studies, Addis Ababa University. He served as the co-editor of the Journal of Ethiopian Studies until 1973 and also established the Committee for the Preservation of Old Ethiopian Paintings, now known as the Society of Friends of the IES. Since 1964 he has published close to eighty articles on various aspects of Ethiopian Art and in 1983 a seminal book entitled Major Themes in Ethiopian Painting. His monumental work, Ethiopian Icons, a highly acclaimed catalogue of the IES collection, appeared in 2000. Professor Chojnacki was recently honoured as a Most Distinguished Fellow of Orbis Ethiopicus for his outstanding contribution to the field of Ethiopian Studies.

 

Carolyn Gossage is the author of seven works of non-fiction. During the past decade, she has worked in close collaboration with Professor Chojnacki on numerous publications, including Ethiopian Icons. After travelling extensively in Ethiopia, she co-produced Ethiopia: A Painted Reflection – a documentary video featuring a series of Ethiopian folk paintings. Mrs Gossage lives and works in Toronto, Canada, and continues to foster an intense interest in the preservation of Ethiopian art and culture.