The Sibyl Series of the Fifteenth Century

This study uncovers representations of the sibyls (Christian symbols of mystical female prophets) in European art and literature during the early Renaissance in the 15th century. The study seeks to understand why sibyls were more popular and accepted during the early Renaissance, as compared to other periods when sibyls were merely associated with divination. The first four chapters detail the history of the sibyls of Greece and Rome, the early Christian era, the middle ages, and the sibyls at the beginning of the 15th century. Later chapters go into detail on sibyls represented in different regions, media, and styles, including the Cortina sibyls, the Orsini sibyls, the manuscripts of the Orsini series, the sibyls series derived from the Orsini frescoes, the Oracula Sibyllina at St. Gall, and the Lactantius versions of the 15th -century sibyl series. The book contains about 70 pages of appendices presenting historical texts. It is illustrated with color and b&w historical art. Annotation ©2017 Ringgold, Inc., Portland, OR (protoview.com)

Robin Raybould (MA, LLM, Cambridge UK) is an independent scholar who specializes in Renaissance symbolic literature. His latest publication was a translation of and commentary on Giehlow's Hieroglyphenkunde, (Brill, 2015) which describes the reception of hieroglyphics in the Italian Renaissance.