Which European artist painted the mysterious 500-year-old image that became a sacred Ethiopian icon? Last month The Art Newspaper published the first colour photographs of the Kwer’ata Re’esu, which was looted at the battle of Maqdala in 1868. As we revealed, it is now owned by a Coimbra collector, who believed it to be by a Portuguese artist. The Kwer’ata Re’esu depicts the suffering Christ, blood dripping from his crown of thorns and with his hands raised in blessing. The attribution of the Kwer’ata Re’esu may well end up being of much more than just academic importance.

Source: Ethiopian News November 15, 2023 11:02 UTC