The Prophet Joel, from Prophets and Sibyls 1480 - 1490

Francesco Rosselli created this engraving of "The Prophet Joel" as part of his "Prophets and Sibyls" series, printed in Florence during the late 15th century. Rosselli's Florence was a society steeped in religious traditions, where the roles of prophets were deeply woven into its cultural and political fabric. This particular print depicts Joel, an important figure in the Hebrew Bible, seated and holding a book, with a scroll unfurled above him bearing his name and title. The artist's decision to portray Joel is not just a religious statement; it's an engagement with the period's intellectual debates about faith, knowledge, and authority. The print also reflects the complex relationship between the religious and secular. While Joel is a religious figure, his depiction in print—a relatively new technology at the time—speaks to the changing modes of communication and dissemination of knowledge that characterized Renaissance society. Rosselli invites us to reflect on the emotional weight of faith, tradition, and the stories we tell ourselves about our place in the world.