The Libyan Sibyl

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The ancient priestess was renowned for safeguarding her cryptic writings that foreshadowed the future. The symbol etched onto this sibyl's amulet denotes her extraordinary mystical abilities, though it now frequently connotes the Jewish Star of David and Exodus, marking the escape of the Jewish people from bondage. The Libyan Sibyl sits absorbed in contemplation, gazing out into the vast expanse of time, as she holds a scroll in her left hand. William Wetmore Story created this masterpiece amidst the turmoil of the Civil War, with his letters revealing that he intentionally crafted it as a scathing indictment of African American slavery: "She is peering out from within the depths of her dark eyes into the realm of what's to come, and beholds the dire fate awaiting her people. This is the central theme of the figure -- Slavery looming on the horizon."