Sibillen rond een nis in de Santa Maria della Pace 1838

Claude Marie François Dien created this print, ‘Sibillen rond een nis in de Santa Maria della Pace,’ sometime in the 19th century. It depicts the classical figures of Sibyls gathered around a niche, inspired by Raphael's frescoes in the Santa Maria della Pace church in Rome. Prints like this one served to disseminate High Renaissance art, making it accessible to a wider audience. Consider the role of gender here: these female figures, the Sibyls, were oracles in ancient Greek and Roman tradition, women believed to possess prophetic powers. In Dien’s print, they are rendered with a classical grace, their robes and poses reminiscent of ancient sculpture. Yet, their power is mediated, seen through the lens of male artists like Raphael and then reinterpreted by Dien. The print invites us to reflect on how female authority and knowledge have historically been represented and controlled within patriarchal structures. It's a story of translation, of power, and of how images shape our understanding of history and identity.