ticketsMember | Make a donation

The Libyan Sibyl

1860; carved 1861
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 700
"The Libyan Sibyl," which Story described as “my anti-slavery sermon in stone,” was inspired by events leading up to the Civil War. Oracle in hand, the Libyan Sibyl, eldest of the legendary prophetesses of antiquity, foresees the terrible fate of the African people. This premonition is suggested by the heroic figure’s state of brooding cogitation. Her costume includes an ammonite-shell (so named for the Egyptian god Amun) headdress, its crest decorated with the tetragrammaton, the four Hebrew consonants that denote the Supreme Being. The seal of Solomon, with its interlocking triangles indicating the interrelationship of the natural and spiritual worlds, hangs from her beaded necklace.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: The Libyan Sibyl
  • Artist: William Wetmore Story (American, Boston, Massachusetts 1819–1895 Vallombrosa)
  • Date: 1860; carved 1861
  • Culture: American
  • Medium: Marble
  • Dimensions: 53 x 27 3/4 x 45 1/2 in. (134.6 x 70.5 x 115.6 cm)
  • Credit Line: Gift of Erving Wolf Foundation, in memory of Diane R. Wolf, 1979
  • Object Number: 1979.266
  • Curatorial Department: The American Wing

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Medea, William Wetmore Story American, Marble, American
Medea
William Wetmore Story
1865; carved 1868
Cleopatra, William Wetmore Story American, Marble, American
Cleopatra
William Wetmore Story
1858, carved 1869
Pier Table, Joseph Meeks & Sons American, Mahogany veneer, mahogany; pine, ash (secondary woods); marble, glass, American
Pier Table
Joseph Meeks & Sons
1829–35
Bacchante and Infant Faun, Frederick William MacMonnies American, Bronze, American
Bacchante and Infant Faun
Frederick William MacMonnies
Thiébaut frères
1893–94, cast 1894
Abraham Lincoln: The Man (Standing Lincoln), Augustus Saint-Gaudens American, Bronze, American
Abraham Lincoln: The Man (Standing Lincoln)
Augustus Saint-Gaudens
1884–87; reduced 1910; cast 1911

Related Content

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.