261090 - Very old & Rare Ethiopian battle painting on canvas - Ethiopia

Beautiful traditional Ethiopian Battle painting scene from Ethiopia. 
Painted on canvas in the traditional Ethiopian colors. 

Technique: tempera/gouache on cotton fabric, stretched over wood

Dimensions: 48 × 90 cm (incl. frame)

Date: purchased in the 1920s; created in the first half of the 20th century, with certificate of authenticity.

Condition: generally good condition (see photos)

A traditional Ethiopian folk art painting depicting a crowded battle or historical scene: mounted warriors, dignitaries under parasols, and soldiers with rifles, cannons, and flags in the Ethiopian national colors, accompanied by Amharic script. It likely depicts a scene related to the Battle of Adwa (1896), a pivotal event in Ethiopian history. It features the bold colors and narrative, flattened visual style characteristic of Ethiopian folk painting.

Provenance:

Acquired in the 1920s in Addis Ababa by Wilhelm Haas (1896–1981), who was a legation secretary at the German embassy in Ethiopia at the time. Subsequently owned by his son, Dr. Gottfried Haas (1943–2016). It has remained in the family ever since. The canvas was later stretched over wood and professionally framed (by a framer in Singapore, presumably between 1981 and 1983). The biographies of both former owners are publicly documented (Wikipedia)