Sibylla Cumaea c. 18th century

Editor: This is Domenico Cunego’s "Sibylla Cumaea," housed at the Harvard Art Museums. It feels like a window into the past, with the weight of history pressing down. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see the echo of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling. Cunego captures the Sibyl, the prophetess, not just as a figure, but as a vessel of ancient knowledge. Note how the turn of her head and the weight of her brow suggests a connection to hidden truths. The symbols surrounding her, do they speak to you? Editor: I hadn't considered the weight of the symbols. I was caught up in the figure itself. Curator: Indeed. Cunego invites us to contemplate how cultural memory and continuity are visually constructed. This Sibyl is a bridge across time. Editor: I’ll definitely look at engravings differently from now on. Curator: Agreed, understanding images helps unlock a deeper understanding of how societies remember and what they value.