The Cuman Sibyl 1450

"The Cuman Sibyl" is a fresco painted by Andrea del Castagno around 1450 and is one of a series of eight sibyls representing the prophetic figures of antiquity in the Florentine tradition. The work is housed in the Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy. The sibyl is portrayed with a dramatic and naturalistic pose, her body turned slightly to the right, and her gaze directed upward, seemingly addressing the viewer. Her pose and gestures embody the sibyl's prophetic power and reveal Castagno's interest in the expressive qualities of human form. Castagno was a significant artist of the early Renaissance and his work often displayed a bold and masterful use of light and shadow.