18th century, Cumaean Sibyl and Eritrean Sibyl

18th century Cumaean Sibyl and Eritrean Sibyl Oil on canvas, 38x30 cm With frame, 50x40 cm In the ancient world, there were many diviners and prophets who issued predictions in the name of a god. At the oracle sites, it was widely believed that there had been many female interpreters of the divine word, not subject to the passage of time, isolated from the world, and not inclined to show themselves to human eyes; these were the Sibyls. The Pythia of Delphi is the best-known case, but the Latin writer Marcus Terentius Varro (116-27 BC) listed ten: the Persian, the Erythraean (from Erythrae, in Lydia), the Hellespontine, the Phrygian, the Cimmerian, the Libyan, the Delphic, the Samian, the Cumaean, and the Tiburtine (some depicted by Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel). Some even thought it was a single, immortal Sibyl who moved to different places. The Cumaean Sibyl is one of the most fascinating figures to emerge from Latin literature: the texts written in her own hand, handed over, according to tradition, by the prophetess to Tarquinius Superbus, and kept at the Capitoline Hill, were perceived as a fundamental reference for the Kings of Rome and later for the leading figures of the Roman Republic. Following the Christianization of the Roman Empire, this figure, re-semanticized, is presented in the scriptures as a predictor of the coming of Christ. In our painting, the Sibyl is depicted standing: in her hands, she holds a banner bearing the depiction of the Adoration of the Magi, a crucial event for the history of humanity that the priestess is anticipating through the prophecy that describes the scene and, at the same time, foresees it: "SUA DONA MAGI CUM LAUDE FERENTES", that is, the Magi bringing their gifts with honor. This brief prophecy, which would be completed with objicient puero myrham, aurum, thura sabae, that is, they will show the child myrrh, gold, Sabaean incense, has also been associated with the Cimmerian Sibyl over the centuries, but generally in artistic depictions, it was associated with the Cumaean, which therefore approaches the image of the Adoration of the Magi. Further confirming the prophetic power of the Sibyl, at her feet, on the right of the composition, is one of the mythical books that collected the fundamental predictions relating to the developments in the history of Rome and Christianity. The draped garments and the serene but, at the same time, extremely decisive gaze directed at the observer contribute to providing an impression of absolute authority to this mystical and intriguing character. The figure of the Erythraean Sibyl was venerated since ancient times: she was one of the most respected prophetesses of the ancient world, linked to the oracle of Apollo at Erythrae. Her prophecies were considered divinely inspired. The Christian Church included her among the twelve sibyls who prophesied the advent of Jesus Christ, integrating her into a broader narrative of the history of salvation: among the attributes proper to her representation, already from the late Middle Ages, is the parchment, which often bears verses that refer to the incarnation of Christ or lenticular representations of the scene of the Annunciation. The painting in question portrays a seated female figure, identifiable as the Erythraean Sibyl thanks to the inscription "SIB ERITREA" visible on the wooden base on which a wooden frame is grafted, within which the Annunciation is depicted. The Sibyl is represented with a pensive and serene expression. She wears a salmon pink robe with wide sleeves, draped with a blue fabric over her shoulders. A golden brooch with a central stone decorates her chest. The lower part of her dress is of a dark velvety green, and her legs are covered with a lighter fabric, perhaps white or ivory, which ripples delicately. On her feet, she wears reddish sandals that lace around her ankles. Her head is adorned with a crown of blue flowers and green leaves, and her brown hair is partly gathered behind her neck. Her gaze is turned slightly to the right, giving a sense of contemplation. In the upper section of the large parchment scrolls on a wooden scaffolding, there are three cartouches bearing the inscriptions "HUMANITATI", "IUNGETUR" and "DIVINITAS", terms that, when read together, translate to the divinity is united to humanity. In the Christian tradition, in fact, the Erythraean Sibyl is attributed a prophecy about the birth of the Redeemer and, more generally, the Redemption of humanity; in accordance with the prophecy, an Annunciation is represented in the aedicule with the descent of the Holy Spirit and the Child to the Virgin who is receiving the announcement from the Archangel Gabriel. Finally, if we consider the word "DIVINITAS", it can also be interpreted as divination or gift of prophecy, thus giving a nuance of meaning close to the role of the effigy.