Diptych icon, about 1700, Unknown, 16 1/8 x 19 15/16 x 15/16 in. (40.96 x 50.64 x 2.38 cm) (open), Tempera on gesso-covered wood, Ethiopia, 17th-18th century, This remarkably vibrant icon was made large enough for processions and ritual display. Like all Ethiopian icons, its composition is based on a set pattern featuring scenes from the lives of Christ, Mary, and saints. The depiction of Mary with the Child is directly inspired by the famous icon in the Santa Maggiore church in Rome, which became known throughout Ethiopia since around 1600 when Jesuit missionaries began distributing reproductions.