A Sibyl Reading

1780s

John Skippe after Michelangelo

Associated Names
John Skippe

Artist, British, 1742 - 1812

Michelangelo

Artist After, Florentine, 1475 - 1564

The image shows a person seated on a square pedestal, holding an open book up to their face with one hand. The person is sideways with one knee bent and the other leg dangling. Their head is covered with a cloth, and their facial features are obscured. The clothing is long and flowing, covering the body completely. Another figure is crouched nearby, partly obscured. In the background, there is an architectural feature with sculptures of two cherubic figures. The scene is depicted in a monochromatic tone with detailed line work for shading and textures.

Media Options

This object’s media is free and in the public domain. Read our full Open Access policy for images.
Not on view See artworks now on view

Artwork overview

  • Medium

    chiaroscuro woodcut printed from 2 blocks: brown line block and gray-brown tone block on laid paper; laid down on album page

  • Credit Line

    Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund

  • Dimensions

    sheet: 35.3 x 24.7 cm (13 7/8 x 9 3/4 in.)
    support: 48.7 x 34 cm (19 3/16 x 13 3/8 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1996.9.5

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    Nagler, no. 14, State before letters

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

(James Bergquist, New York); purchased by NGA, 1996.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1997

  • Building a Collection, National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1997-1998, no. 123.

Bibliography

1835

  • Nagler, G.K. Neues allgemeines Kunstler-Lexikon, oder Nachrichten von dem Leben und den Werken der Maler, Bildhauer, Baumeister, Kupferstecher, Formschneider, Lithographen, Zeichner, Medailleure, Elfenbeinarbeiter, etc.. 22 vols. Munich: E.A. Fleischmann, no. 14.

Wikidata ID

Q75395010

You may be interested in

Loading Results