The Cumean Sibyl 1480 - 1490

Francesco Rosselli created this engraving of The Cumean Sibyl in Florence during the late 15th century. The Sibyls were prophetesses in the ancient world, who were often depicted in Renaissance art as figures of wisdom and foresight. Rosselli’s engraving emerges from a specific cultural context where classical mythology was being reinterpreted through a Christian lens. The Sibyls were often seen as precursors to the coming of Christ, bridging the pagan and Christian worlds. This engraving participates in a tradition of representing female figures as bearers of knowledge and prophecy, yet these representations are often mediated through male artists, shaping how female wisdom is perceived. Consider the emotional weight carried by the Sibyl, poised between worlds, burdened with knowledge of the future. She embodies a complex interplay of power and vulnerability, knowledge and fate. How does her image resonate with contemporary ideas about female agency and the burdens of knowing?