← Giorgio Ghisi

The Prophet Ezekiel; from the series of Prophets and Sibyls in the Sistine Chapel

Original title: The Prophet Ezekiel; from the series of Prophets and Sibyls in the Sistine Chapel

Artist

Giorgio Ghisi

Date

1570–75

Medium

Engraving; third state of five (BLL)

Dimensions

Sheet (Trimmed): 22 1/8 × 17 1/8 in. (56.2 × 43.5 cm)

Credit line

The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1984

kurzbeschreibung

This engraving by Giorgio Ghisi, made between 1570 and 1575, depicts the prophet Ezekiel. It belongs to a series that reproduces the prophets and sibyls of the Sistine Chapel in Rome. The present sheet is the third of five states.

Description

A bearded old man holding a book sits at the center, identifiable as Ezekiel. Around him, other figures are distributed on columns and pedestals, some clothed, others nude. Niches and arcades, framed by columns and architectural elements, organize the figures. The print is monochrome, with even lighting and clear, detailed lines.

Context

In the 1570s, Ghisi engraved this series after Michelangelo's early 16th-century frescoes in the Sistine Chapel. Reproductive prints of this kind were widespread at the time, bringing famous works of art before a wider public. Several states of the plate exist; this impression is the third.

Impact

Cleanly drawn lines and the monumental arrangement of figures give the sheet a solemn, dignified tone. Among the architectural elements, the prophet appears calm and exalted, fitting his biblical stature. With color absent, attention focuses entirely on structure and draughtsmanship.

Technique

In engraving, lines are incised into a metal plate and then transferred to paper with printing ink. The third state shows that the plate was reworked after the first printing. Ghisi's lines are fine and precise, characteristic of his style and of 16th-century printmaking.

AI-generated description text

Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)