A Sibyl Reading a Book Facing Right (ca. 1517–18, Met-Objekt 5988)
Original title: A Sibyl Reading a book facing right
kurzbeschreibung
Ugo da Carpi made this chiaroscuro woodcut around 1517–18, printed from two blocks in brown. It shows a Sibyl bending over an open book while a child holds a candle for her. The monochrome sheet depends on the contrast between light and dark areas.
Description
On the left, the Sibyl sits in a long robe on a chair and reads from an open book. To her right stands a child with a candle; extra light enters through an open window. Light falls on the figures from the right, creating strong contrasts between bright and dark. The setting is bare, with a wall and part of the window visible. The arrangement places the Sibyl on the left and the child on the right, giving the image balance.
Context
Ugo da Carpi, an Italian printmaker, introduced the chiaroscuro woodcut to Italy. This sheet dates from the Renaissance, when antiquity was rediscovered and Sibyls were valued as prophetic figures. It was probably made in Rome or Venice, where Carpi worked. It belongs to a series of Sibyls he produced around 1517–18.
Impact
The strong light-dark contrasts give the subject something dramatic and at the same time quiet. The viewer's gaze is drawn to the reading, which takes on a mood of its own through the candlelight. The brown tone gives the sheet a noble, aged character.
Technique
Two woodblocks were used for this chiaroscuro woodcut, allowing different shades of brown. In this way tonal values and shadows could be printed, reminiscent of a drawing on toned paper. The brown printing contributes to the light effect of the image.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)