Delphic Sibyl, from the series of Sibyls 1525 - 1535

Lucas van Leyden created this engraving of the Delphic Sibyl as part of a series. In Northern Renaissance Europe, the Sibyls—female prophets from classical antiquity—were often reinterpreted to foreshadow the coming of Christ. This print visualizes that intersection of classical and Christian traditions. The Delphic Sibyl holds a crown of thorns, an unmistakable reference to Christ's Passion, while her classical dress and setting mark her pagan origins. Van Leyden was a leading printmaker, and his workshop exemplifies how art was produced in the Netherlands at this time. To understand his work, one would need to know about the printmaking trade and its institutions, the traditions of Christian and classical art, and the social function of religious imagery in the Netherlands. The survival of this print in the collection of the Met is contingent on historical context. As historians, we examine such objects, using documents and cultural histories to better understand the ever-evolving historical and social meanings of art.