The Sibyls

Two female prophetesses from antiquity are shown in dynamic, twisting poses accompanied by celestial messengers. On the left, a younger figure looks toward a tablet held by a putto, while on the right, an elderly woman with a large book gazes upward at an angel unfurling a scroll. The scene is filled with inscriptions in both Latin and Greek that link ancient prophecy to the arrival of a new age.

The Sibyls represent the Renaissance Neoplatonic concept of 'prisca theologia' (ancient theology), where pagan wisdom is seen as a precursor to Christian revelation. This synthesis was a core tenet for thinkers like Marsilio Ficino and Pico della Mirandola, who sought to reconcile the philosophy of antiquity with theology.