Aeneas and the Sibyl

About this work

This etching shows Aeneas, a Trojan hero, walking with the Sibyl, a priestess of Apollo. They move through a dark, rocky cave lit by a few torches. Shadows stretch long behind them. The Sibyl guides Aeneas toward the underworld. Lairesse carved fine lines to make the light feel real. He used shading to push some areas into darkness. This technique is called chiaroscuro. It makes the scene feel dramatic and deep. Look up Lairesse, Gerard de to see more of his work.