Affresco delle Sibille

The Fresco of the Sibyls is a fifteenth-century painting in central Cortina d'Ampezzo. Rediscovered during restoration work in 1893, it depicts five crowned female figures, four of whom are associated with named sibyls in Christian iconography.

Why it matters

The fresco is an unusual survival of early fifteenth-century painting in the Ampezzo valley. Its date is based on stylistic features described as Giottesque. The identity of the fifth figure remains unresolved, giving the painting both an artistic and iconographic interest.

What to notice

The figures are arranged in a sequence. The first is identified as the Sibilla Valuensis. The second may be the Sibilla Nicaulia or Tiburtina, as its inscription is no longer legible. The central figure, stroking three lions, is usually identified as the Sibilla Portuensis, though the lions are also associated with the Sibilla Libica. The fourth is identified as the Sibilla Eritrea. The fifth figure wears a different crown and looks outward; its identity remains an open question. The fresco was detached from its original wall and is preserved behind a protective panel.

Context and history

The painting came to light in 1893 during restoration of the Hotel Stella d'Oro, the inn that once occupied the building. The fresco was removed from its original position and later conserved. The bank that now occupies the site associates the former house with an eminent local family and records a tradition that the captain of Botestagno held audiences there, linking the building to the political geography of medieval Ampezzo.