Sibille met haar linkerarm voor de borst 1520 - 1567

Lambertus Suavius created this engraving of a Sibyl in the mid-16th century, a time when the rediscovery of classical antiquity shaped art in Northern Europe. Here, the figure of the Sibyl is depicted as if she were a classical statue, complete with draped robes and a serene expression. She is framed by an arched niche that reinforces her timeless, almost otherworldly presence. In ancient Greece and Rome, Sibyls were prophetesses. Suavius was from Liege, now in Belgium, a region with strong ties to the Holy Roman Empire. As such, the choice to depict a Sibyl was not accidental, as they were believed to have foreseen the coming of Christ. To understand this work better, one might delve into the religious and political crosscurrents of the period, the role of classical learning in the Renaissance, or the function of female figures in communicating religious ideas. By considering these factors, we gain a deeper appreciation of how art reflects the society and institutions that produced it.