Reclining sibyl holding a book, with a winged putto supporting an inscribed tablet
1550
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1550
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
This sketch shows a woman sitting on a rock, holding a book in her lap. Behind her, a small winged child leans on a tablet with writing on it. The lines are loose and quick, like a quick study rather than a finished painting. The woman looks thoughtful, her fingers resting on the book’s edge. The child’s wings and the tablet suggest this might be about prophecy or wisdom. Look up cross-hatching next to see how artists build shadows with lines.
