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adammclean Member
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Posted: Sat Mar 28th, 2009 11:22 am |
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I have just discovered two examples of a Sibilla Chimica in Italian art.
The first is a fresco in the Santuario Madonna dell'Ambro (the Santuary of the Madonna of amber) in Montefortino. This chapel was established in 1602 replacing an earlier building which housed a sacred image of Mary.
There are a series of frescos of the Sybils one of which is a Sibilla Chimica, said to have been created by the artist Martino Bonfini da Patrignone around about 1610-12.
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 Last edited on Sat Mar 28th, 2009 11:23 am by adammclean
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adammclean Member
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Posted: Sat Mar 28th, 2009 11:34 am |
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I also found a late 15th century engraving by Francesco Rosselli (1445-1513) of a Sibilla Chimica. This is part of a series of Prophets and Sybils this Florentine artist apparently created around 1475.
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Paul Ferguson Member
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Posted: Sat Mar 28th, 2009 03:40 pm |
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adammclean wrote:
I have just discovered two examples of a Sibilla Chimica in Italian art.
The first is a fresco in the Santuario Madonna dell'Ambro (the Santuary of the Madonna of amber) in Montefortino. This chapel was established in 1602 replacing an earlier building which housed a sacred image of Mary.
There are a series of frescos of the Sybils one of which is a Sibilla Chimica, said to have been created by the artist Martino Bonfini da Patrignone around about 1610-12.
I believe the proceedings of this conference:
http://www.alchemywebsite.com/elissa_congress.html
refers to this painting in this paper:
"Anna Maria Piscitelli (Progetto Elissa): L’errare della Vergine Sibilla dal terzo cielo all’ Aes Ustum."
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Paul Ferguson Member
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Posted: Sat Mar 28th, 2009 04:05 pm |
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It would seem that the theologian (and Inquisitor!) Filippo Barberi mentions and illustrates a Sibilla Chimica in this book:
http://www.vialibri.net/item_pg/2673696-1505-barberiis-philippus-quattuor-hic-compressa-opuscola-discordantiae-sanctorum-doctorum-hieronymi.htm
Apparently this book was referred to extensively by Lorenzo Lotto, who included a Sibilla Chimica in his frescoes in the Oratorio Suardi in Trescore:
http://www.cassiciaco.it/ITA/001ago/pittori/2005/suardi/brigida/suardi_ciclo10.htm
There is also one in Busto Arizio, referred to in Este Milani's article on page 24 of this volume:
http://www.lafamigliabustocca.it/1957.htm
Finally, there is one by Bernardino Luini in Saronno:
http://fe.fondazionezeri.unibo.it/catalogo/scheda.jsp?decorator=layout&apply=true&tipo_scheda=OA&id=54353&titolo=Luini+Bernardino+,+Sibilla+Chimica
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 Last edited on Sat Mar 28th, 2009 04:09 pm by Paul Ferguson
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Paul Ferguson Member
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Posted: Sat Mar 28th, 2009 04:22 pm |
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Paul Ferguson wrote:
It would seem that the theologian (and Inquisitor!) Filippo Barberi mentions and illustrates a Sibilla Chimica in this book:
http://www.vialibri.net/item_pg/2673696-1505-barberiis-philippus-quattuor-hic-compressa-opuscola-discordantiae-sanctorum-doctorum-hieronymi.htm
More about Barberi here:
http://www.lavocedifiore.org/SPIP/article.php3?id_article=3005
"Il volume più prezioso tra quelli scomparsi (la mostra non è nuova a questo genere di episodi: era già successo nell’edizione del 2004, ndr) si trovava allo stand numero 7 ed è, in realtà, un piccolo libro, non più alto di 18 centimetri e largo 125, con sibille e oracoli effigiati, scritto da un teologo siciliano del ’400, Filippo de Barberis e stampato dal primo tipografo italiano, Filippo de Lignamine."
and here (with a splendid reproduction of his own Sibilla Chimica):
http://panizzi.comune.re.it/mostre/incu/barberiis.htmAttached Image (viewed 2372 times):
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adammclean Member
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Posted: Sat Mar 28th, 2009 04:23 pm |
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It is amazing how many of these artworks on the theme of the Sibilla Chimica there appear to be. From two examples you now have extended the list to at least five. It must have been an image that caught the attention of this small group of Italian late 15th and early 16th century artists.
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adammclean Member
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Posted: Sat Mar 28th, 2009 04:31 pm |
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I am beginning to wonder if this sibyl of "chimica" is in fact a misreading of the classical Cumaean Sibyl, and this has no connection at all to alchemy. The Barberi clearly show her alongside the Delphic Sybil.
Last edited on Sat Mar 28th, 2009 04:31 pm by adammclean
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adammclean Member
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Posted: Sat Mar 28th, 2009 04:36 pm |
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Yes it seems to be a variant. See this piece from
http://www.archive.org/stream/pavementmasterso00custuoft/pavementmasterso00custuoft_djvu.txt
[size="3"]PAVEMENT OF SIENA
The Cumaean Sibyl.
It is not clear why this Sibyl is so named, espe-
cially as it provokes confusion with the more
celebrated " Sibilla Cumana" Apparently the
Cimmerian Sibyl is intended. Ferdinand Piper
tells us that she was sometimes styled the Italian
Sibyl, 1 and mentions other variations of the name :
" Cymea, Chymerea or Chimica." According to
the label, supported behind her by two charming
putti, she is said to have been mentioned by Piso
in his Annals. Here she is represented as an
excited-looking woman, with loose hair scattered
over her shoulders. She bears in her hand a
tablet, with the following words inscribed upon it :
ET MORTIS FATVM FINI
ET, TRIVM DIERVM SO
MNO SUSCEPTO TUNC
AMORTVIS REGRESSVS
INLUCEM VENIET PRIM
VM RESURRECTIONIS
INITIVM OSTENDENS.
(He shall accomplish the fate of death, having
undergone a sleep of three days. Then being
returned from the dead, he shall come into the
light, showing the first beginning of the resurrec-
tion).
[/size] |
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Paul Ferguson Member
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Posted: Sat Mar 28th, 2009 04:38 pm |
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adammclean wrote:
It is amazing how many of these artworks on the theme of the Sibilla Chimica there appear to be. From two examples you now have extended the list to at least five. It must have been an image that caught the attention of this small group of Italian late 15th and early 16th century artists.
Make that six. See Hartmann Schedel's "Schedelsche Weltchronik":
http://de.wikisource.org/wiki/Die_Schedelsche_Weltchronik_(deutsch):079
and also here if you'd like one for your wall:
http://www.lamus.pl/shop_2006/_php/index_base.php?cat_ID=1&cat_owner_ID=1⊂_cat_ID=71&product_ID=3593&option=product_detailsAttached Image (viewed 2002 times):
 Last edited on Sat Mar 28th, 2009 04:39 pm by Paul Ferguson
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Paul Ferguson Member
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Posted: Sat Mar 28th, 2009 04:45 pm |
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adammclean wrote:
I am beginning to wonder if this sibyl of "chimica" is in fact a misreading of the classical Cumaean Sibyl, and this has no connection at all to alchemy. The Barberi clearly show her alongside the Delphic Sybil.
Yes indeed. Look at Barberi's text:
"Sibylla emeria in Italia nata alias Chimica..."
"The Sybil Emeria [i.e. the Cumaean Sybil], born in Italy, otherwise known as Chimica..."
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Paul Ferguson Member
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Posted: Sat Mar 28th, 2009 04:54 pm |
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Seven! There's also one by the Master of the Goslar Sybils:
http://www.deutschefotothek.de/obj70700625.html#|home
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Paul Ferguson Member
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Posted: Sat Mar 28th, 2009 05:02 pm |
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Apparently Barbieri and his Sibilla Chimica are referred to in this article:
http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract;jsessionid=3DAE8A13A12BC9DA47FDE25696451D75.tomcat1?fromPage=online&aid=1298740
Alan may like to note this.
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Paul Ferguson Member
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Posted: Sat Mar 28th, 2009 05:07 pm |
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The Sibilla Chimica is also mentioned on page 97 of:
"De historie van Belgis, oft Chronycke der Nederlandtsche oudtheyt", by Marcus Van Vaernewijck, Petrus De Jode and Joannes Meysens, printed by Reynier Sleghers 1665
Available as a free download from Google Books :o)
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Paul Ferguson Member
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Posted: Sat Mar 28th, 2009 05:17 pm |
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adammclean wrote:
I am beginning to wonder if this sibyl of "chimica" is in fact a misreading of the classical Cumaean Sibyl, and this has no connection at all to alchemy. The Barberi clearly show her alongside the Delphic Sybil.
A connection between the Cumaean Sybil and alchemy seems logical, as she famously asked Apollo to grant her eternal life (while forgetting to ask for eternal youth at the same time).
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Paul Ferguson Member
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Posted: Sat Mar 28th, 2009 05:30 pm |
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Eight! There would also seem to be one in the Chiesa dei Miracoli in Venice. See here:
http://cgi.ebay.it/VENEZIA-S.M.DE-MIRACOLI-ARCHITETTURA-ARTE-RINASCIMENTO_W0QQitemZ350135582503QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20081205?IMSfp=TL081205128001r10492Attached Image (viewed 2024 times):
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