The Libyan Sibyl

Guercino's Libyan Sibyl from 1651, in the Royal Collection, depicts one of the ancient prophetesses who were believed to have foretold the coming of Christ. Guercino, whose real name was Giovanni Francesco Barbieri, was one of the leading Italian Baroque painters, working primarily in his native Cento and later in Bologna. By 1651 he had moderated his earlier dramatic Baroque style toward a more classical, restrained manner influenced by Guido Reni, whose studio he effectively inherited after Reni's death in 1642.

The painting shows Guercino's late classical manner with controlled composition and a cooler palette than his early works. The figure's monumental presence and the carefully modeled drapery demonstrate his accomplished command of the grand manner in Italian Baroque painting.