Von Amalthea oder deyphebe der sibilla · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: Von Amalthea oder deyphebe der sibilla
Period: 1450-1500;
Geographic: Ancient Rome; Italy
Description: This engraving depicts the sibyl, Amalthea, burning 3 books in a fire in front of Tarquinius Priscus. We know that these figures are Amalthea and Tarquinius Priscus as their names are engraved beside their bodies. Amalthea, as explained by Boccaccio, brought 9 books for Tarquinius Priscus, and when he failed to pay her the full price for them, she burned 3 books at a time until he paid her in full. The word Libri is engraved below the fire, which translates to books in English. These books had the prophecies of Amalthea written in them.
Image Creator: Anonymous (Engraver)
Type: Text; Woodcut Engraving
Identifier: mta:17978
Language: ger
Source Name: Hyenach volget der kurcz syn von ettlichen frauen von denen johannes boccacius in latein beschriben hat und doctor heinricus stainhöwel geteütschet [Following the short stories of several women of which Giovanni Boccaccio wrote in Latin, and doctor Heinrich Steinhöwel translated]
Parent Collection: 1473 Augsburg; 1473 Augsburg
Image: mta_17978_OBJ.png
Collection: Early Modern Women
Subject: Famous Women; Sibyls; Tarquinius Priscus; Important Women