Study of a Sibyl

The drawing shows a woman in a seated, twisted pose, looking back over her shoulder with an expression of intense focus. She is dressed in voluminous classical robes, with the artist using fine lines to define the weight and folds of the fabric. The sketch captures a sense of sudden movement and the physical tension of a figure receiving divine inspiration.

Sibyls were viewed by Renaissance Neoplatonists as pagan prophetesses who formed part of the 'Prisca Theologia,' an ancient chain of wisdom that included Hermes Trismegistus and anticipated Christian revelation. This concept, championed by thinkers like Marsilio Ficino, allowed for the integration of classical mystery traditions into the religious art of the 16th century.