Existing comment:
Resolute.
Dateline: March 1, 1896. An African army wins its most resounding and lasting victory against colonialism.
As morning rose to noon that day, Ethiopian forces under Emperor Menelik II defeated an invading Italian army at the Battle of Adwa. In so doing, they prevented the imposition of colonial rule. Adwa became a symbol of resistance to colonial oppression across Africa and its diaspora.
Solomon Belachew -- an artist renowned for depicting religious scenes -- captured the ferocity of battle in the painting above/below through his use of opposing diagonal lines, suggesting action between the two opposing sides, and his depiction of blood-spattered and decapitated Italian soldiers. Consistent with artistic conventions governing Ethiopian religious painting, Belachew depicts the righteous Ethiopians as full-faced figures, while the forces of evil (the Italians, in this case) are shown largely in profile. Because the Battle of Adwa fell on March 1, St. George's Day, the popular saint is depicted astride a horse and ready for battle as he descends from the sky.
Paintings of the Battle of Adwa remain popular diplomatic gifts that the Ethiopian government has presented to visiting dignitaries and foreign diplomats stationed in the country. The message seems clear: "we remain unbowed." |