Open full image Pin

European Sibyl

Italian 15th Century

1401

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Renaissance

Dominant colour

European Sibyl is a 1401 ink by Italian 15th Century, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Italian 15th Century
When & what style?: 1401 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This image depicts a woman with long hair, dressed in a robe and holding a book. She is seated on the ground, surrounded by plants and a small flame. The woman's attire is ornate, featuring intricate patterns and designs. The engraving is detailed, with visible lines and textures that give the image depth. The use of cross-hatching creates shading and dimension, adding to the overall visual effect. The Renaissance movement is known for its attention to detail and realism, and this engraving is a great example of that. To learn more about the technique used in this piece, look up the art of engraving.

About the artist

Artist

Italian 15th Century

This anonymous Italian engraver from the 1490s carved images that could be peeled apart like paper dolls—each knot in the "First Knot" print was cut from a single sheet so you could lift the loops right off the page.

See the richer artist page