ETHIOPIAN, 15TH CENTURY | Coptic Cross

Dr Edward Mursky (1900-1974), New York;
Sotheby's London, 5 December 2007, lot 3;
Roni Ferber, London and Tel Aviv

Overall the condition of the cross is good, with minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. The cross is very slightly warped. There is minor rubbing to the bronze at some of the cross terminals. There is a minor horizontal fissure around the bottom quarter of the stand, and there are a few small casting flaws.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The openwork form of the present cross was designed to create a dramatic silhouette against the light of the African sky. Originally the cross, like a similar 15th century cross now in the Walters Art Gallery Baltimore, surmounted a long pole and was adorned with long strips of colourful fabric.  These crosses were, and continue to be, integral to Ethiopian Christian rituals. 

Ethiopia was the first nation in Africa to adopt Christianity (circa 324 CE) due to both the conversion of the ruler Ezana to the faith and the country's location off an estuary of the Nile, which enabled a direct conduit to the Christian countries in the Mediterranean.  By the 15th century Christian art in Ethiopia was flourishing, combining Christian iconography with an expressive use of pattern and form exemplified by the present bronze.

This cross was formerly in the collection of the noted American pioneer of molecular biology, Edward Mursky (1900-1974).  Mursky was an avid collector of art and archaeology. The majority of his collection is now held at the Rockefeller University, New York.  

RELATED LITERATURE
D. E. Horowitz (ed.), Ethiopian Art: the Walters Art Museum (Baltimore, 2001) pp. 10, 12, 80-1