Cimmerische Sibille before 1608

This engraving of the Cimmerian Sibyl was made by Christoffel van Sichem I, in the Netherlands, most likely in the late 16th or early 17th century. The Sibyls were prophetesses of antiquity, and were often depicted in art as symbols of wisdom. Here, we see the Sibyl as a figure in exotic dress, holding a book and a knife – instruments of knowledge and power. The print was likely made for a book or series, catering to the era's fascination with classical antiquity and the burgeoning humanist movement. The inclusion of text below the image, in Latin, signals the artist's engagement with classical learning and the expectations of an educated audience. To truly understand this image, we might look at the history of printing and book illustration in the Netherlands, and the social status of artists like van Sichem. This helps to reveal how images like this circulated and were consumed in their time. The meaning of art is always tied to its social and institutional context, and historical research is key to unlocking those meanings.