Aeneas and the Cumaean Sibyl

Part of a series of large drawings on blue paper devoted to Virgil's Aneid, this sheet shows a scene from Book VI: Aeneas, accompanied by his loyal friend Acahtes, is seen next to the Cumaean Sibyl pointing him in the direction of the underworld. Aeneas holds a golden bough, which is intended as a gift to Proserpina to insure his safe return. A particularly important detail is the signature bottom left, which identifies not only the artist but also the place of his birth. For another drawing from the same series, see 1988.81.