The Delphic Sibyl, from Prophets and Sibyls 1480 - 1490

This is a metal cut of the Delphic Sibyl, made by Francesco Rosselli in Florence in the late 15th century. This print comes from a series depicting prophets and sibyls, figures from the classical and Judeo-Christian traditions believed to foretell the coming of Christ. The Sibyl, a pagan prophetess, is shown here with a book opened to reveal a Latin inscription. Rosselli’s choice to represent her in print is significant. The proliferation of printed images in Florence at this time was bound up with the city’s religious and political life. In Florence, confraternities used prints for devotional purposes, and the government used them for propaganda. Rosselli himself was involved in printing maps, and he understood the power of images to shape public opinion. The image is a product of its time, but it also speaks to our own. Art historians draw on a range of sources to understand the social and institutional contexts in which art is made. By researching the economic, religious, and political conditions of Renaissance Florence, we can better understand the public role of art.