{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O205572"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O205572/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2010EF8332/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2010EF8332/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2010EF8332","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2010EF8331","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2010EF8325","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2010EF8324","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O205572/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O205572","accessionNumber":"E.3937-1920","objectType":"Drawing","titles":[{"title":"St George and the Dragon , the Virgin and Child, Christ and His Disciples, in Gethsemane, Christ scourged, Christ mocked, the Crucifixion and Taking Down from the Cross.","type":"popular title"}],"summaryDescription":"This Ethiopian drawing features a variety of scenes from the life of Christ, as well as a depiction of St George (patron saint of Ethiopia) and the Dragon.\r\n\r\nIt was looted by a British colonel in April 1868 during the 1867-68 Expedition to Ethiopia, when vast quantities of Ethiopian material culture were looted by the British Army from the fortress of Emperor Tewodros II at Maqdala.","physicalDescription":"","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Ink on parchment","categories":[],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2010EF8332","2010EF8331","2010EF8325","2010EF8324"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLE","id":"THES49657"},"free":"","case":"I","shelf":"31","box":"C"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"drawing","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Ethiopia","id":"x35090"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"17th century","earliest":"1600-01-01","latest":"1700-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"Dated to the 17th century by Dr V. Neressian of the British Library, July 2001"}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"26","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"from catalogue","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"61","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"from catalogue","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"<u>Provenance</u>: Looted at Maqdala, Ethiopia, by Colonel Arthur William Macnaghten, Bombay Cavalry, April 1868. Purchased by the V&amp;A from Mrs Louisa Macnaghten, 4 October 1920.\n\nThe V&A's nominal file for Mrs MacNaghten records the purchase of this Ethiopian drawing by the museum. An internal memo regarding the purchase states that 'it was brought by [Mrs MacNaghten's] husband from King Theodore's palace at Magdala at the time of the Abyssinian Expedition'.\r\n\r\nThis indicates that the drawing was part of the vast quantities of Ethiopian material culture looted by British troops during the 1867-8 British Expedition to Ethiopia, a pivotal episode in both British and Ethiopian history that culminated in the death of Emperor Tewodros II (often referrred to in Britain as 'Theodore') and the destruction and looting of his fortress at Maqdala. 'Abyssinia' was a term historically used outside of Ethiopia to refer to the country.\n\nIn 1863, Tewodros took hostage around thirty European diplomats and missionaries stationed in Ethiopia. He took this action after letters he had written to Queen Victoria in 1857 and 1862, requesting military assistance from Britain, had gone unanswered. Following failed diplomatic attempts to secure the release of the hostages, a large-scale British military expedition was launched from Bombay in October 1867. The expedition was led by General Sir Charles Robert Napier, and comprised around 12,000 British and Indian troops.\n\r\nOn 10th April 1868, a brutal battle took place between the Emperor's troops and the British army at Arogee, a plateau below Maqdala. The British army very quickly overwhelmed Tewodros’ soldiers with enormous firepower that resulted in heavy Ethiopian casualties. On 13 April, Napier’s forces launched the final attack on Maqdala that saw Tewodros’ armies entirely defeated. The Emperor took his own life.\n\r\nThe British Army then proceeded to ransack the fortress and the surrounding area, where they found many Ethiopian manuscripts, sacred objects and other valuable items. The loot from Maqdala was transported to the Talanta Plain around ten miles away, where the army’s ‘prize’ auction took place a week later.\n\r\nThe V&amp;A bought the drawing on 4 October 1920 from Mrs Louisa Macnaghten, Col. Macnaghten's widow, following his death in 1916.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Drawing on parchment depicting a variety of biblical scenes. Ethiopian, 17th century.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[{"text":"Ethiopia","id":"x35090"},{"text":"Gethsemane","id":"x38824"}],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Jesus Christ","id":"N1515"},{"text":"George (Saint)","id":"N2524"},{"text":"Virgin Mary","id":"N480"},{"text":"The Disciples","id":"N1963"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[{"text":"Looting of Maqdala (1868)","id":"V92"},{"text":"1867-8 British Expedition to Ethiopia (1/10/1867 - 13/5/1868)","id":"AUTH407033"}],"contentOthers":[{"text":"dragons","id":"x30096"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["E.3937-1920"],"accessionNumberNum":"3937","accessionNumberPrefix":"E","accessionYear":1920,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-02-26","recordCreationDate":"2009-03-23","availableToBook":false}}