The Prophet Jeremiah, from "Prophets and Sibyls in the Sistine Chapel" 1570 - 1575

Giorgio Ghisi created this engraving of the Prophet Jeremiah in the 16th century. The composition is immediately striking; Jeremiah sits centrally, framed by an architectural archway filled with figures in dynamic poses. Ghisi's use of line is masterful, creating a range of values to suggest depth and texture. Note how the lines build up to describe the weightiness of Jeremiah's form, slumped in contemplation. This contrasts with the more open, flowing lines of the surrounding figures, capturing a sense of restless energy. The entire scene is constructed with careful attention to balance, yet there is a destabilizing quality to the Prophet's downcast pose. His inner psychological state contrasts with the classical ideal of the heroic figure. This tension invites us to consider how meaning is constructed through formal arrangement, destabilizing fixed ideas of power and representation.