Aeneas and The Sibyl | Unknown Master | 1800 17th Century Eternity presents a colossal spider

Eternity presents a colossal spider poised upon a barren

and the subtle interplay between light and shadow in the urban night

titled "Foolishness of the Little Bulls"

Rubens' mastery of the human form and use of chiaroscuro—a strong contrast between light and dark—are evident in this deeply moving piece

the stars begin to shine through

Aeneas and The Sibyl | Unknown Master | 1800 17th Century Eternity presents a colossal spiderThis early 19th century painting by an unknown master depicts the story from the Aeneid, by the Roman poet Virgil. The Trojan military leader Aeneas wants to visit the Underworld in order to consult the ghost of his father. He meets the Cumaean Sibyl (a priestess at Cumae, a Greek colony near Naples, Italy). She agrees to guide him through the kingdom of the dead. The deep lake, surrounded by dark woods, was believed to lead to the Underworld. Print: