1906 The Life of Takla Haymanot The Miracles of Takla Haymanot The Book of the Riches of Kings

Description

Colour Plates, Illustrated, Limited Edition, Publishers' Original Binding, Scarce

Volume II only of a two volume work. One of only 250 copies of this work produced, with this copy being out of series, as is common.

This copy lacks the original frontispiece and title page.

Illustrated with fifty-two colour plates. The only plate absent is the frontispiece.

An important facsimile of an Ethiopian manuscript, discussing the life and teachings of Takla Haymanot. These manuscripts are revered by Ethiopians.

Tekle Haymanot was an Ethiopian saint and monk, founding the major monastery in Shewa. He is the only saint who is popular both in Ethiopia and outside the country, such as in churches in Rome and Egypt.

This work was printed for and dedicated to Valeria, Lady Meux, an important sociliatie of the Victorian era. She was a flamboyant and controversial figure who was never accepted by polite society of her husband's family, who was one of Britain's richest brewing dynasties, Meux's Brewery. Her parties were attended by the likes of Edward VII, then the Prince of Wales, and the young Winston Churchill. She was painted by noted artist James Abbott McNeill Whistler three times, the portraits being the first full-scale commissions Whistler had after the Ruskin trial.

Meux acquired five lavishly illustrated Ethiopic manuscripts. Once Meux discovered that these manuscripts were revered by the Ethiopians, she left them in her will to the Emperor Menelik. However, the courts set aside this provision in order to keep the manuscripts in Britain, and sold them to William Randolph Hearst of California.

Translated and produced by E. A. Wallis Budge.