Attributed to Francesco Cozza

Attributed to FRANCESCO COZZA (Stilo, Calabria, c. 1605–Rome, 1682).
“The Sibyl of Cumae.”
Oil on canvas. Relined in the 19th century.
Bears the inscription “Nasceti de Virgi” (born of a Virgin).
Measurements: 76 x 55 cm.
The Sibyl of Cumae is one of the most frequently depicted prophetic figures in classical and Christian art. During the Renaissance and Baroque periods, her figure took on a new dimension as she was interpreted as a pagan harbinger of Christ’s coming. In fact, the inscription visible in the painting, “Nasceti de Virgi,” alludes precisely to this Christianized interpretation of the Sibylline prophecy. The work depicts a female figure of great dignity and monumental presence. Her serene, delicately modeled face emerges from a warm and enveloping atmosphere, while the elaborate turban and the rich folds of the fabrics lend a refined decorative quality. The artist combines a naturalistic observation of the model with a classical idealization rooted in the Bolognese tradition. The quality of the modeling, the expressive serenity, and the meticulous rendering of the textile details allow us to place this work in close proximity to Cozza’s oeuvre; it can be compared to the portrait of a woman in a turban housed in the Bristol Museum, attributed to the master, where a similar conception of the face and treatment of the skin tones can be observed.
Born in Stilo, Calabria, around 1605, Francesco Cozza spent most of his artistic career in Rome, where he trained under Domenichino, one of the great masters of Baroque classicism. This painter’s influence proved decisive in Cozza’s career, imparting to him the compositional balance, the nobility of the figures, and the narrative clarity that characterize much of his work. Documented in Rome since the late 1620s, Cozza maintained a close relationship with the Order of the Minims of St. Francis of Paula and worked alongside Domenichino in Rome, Naples, and Frascati. After his master’s death, he established an independent career that made him a respected figure within the 17th-century Roman art scene.
Among the most important milestones of his career was his admission to the Accademia di San Luca in 1650, one of the most prestigious artistic institutions in Europe. His recognition reached its peak with the creation of the famous frescoes of the Apotheosis in the Pamphili House and in the library of the Pamphili Palace in Piazza Navona (1667–1673), considered among his masterpieces.
Cozza also collaborated with some of the most prominent artists of his time, including Mattia Preti, Pier Francesco Mola, Gaspard Dughet, and Carlo Maratta—experiences that enriched his pictorial language. His work reveals a personal synthesis between the Emilian classicism inherited from Domenichino and a more intense naturalism, close to the Roman Baroque sensibility of the mid-17th century.