The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of March 29, 2024

Cupid and Psyche

Cupid and Psyche

1574
(Italian, 1520–1582)
(Italian, 1492/99–1546)
Sheet: 36 x 23.4 cm (14 3/16 x 9 3/16 in.)
Catalogue raisonné: Lewis&Boorsch 50
Location: not on view

Description

Crowned with laurel wreaths, Cupid and Psyche recline on a couch with their daughter Voluptas between them. Ceres, goddess of fertility and abundance, pours water on Cupid’s hand. The scene is derived from a story by Apuleius (about AD 124–170) narrating Psyche’s adventures leading up to her marriage to Cupid. The rich contrasts of light and shadow that Ghisi achieved in this engraving make this print especially sensual and luxurious. It reflects his later style and the different textures he was able to achieve in human bodies, silky drapery, and lush foliage.
  • Albertina duplicate, Vienna, stamp (Lugt Supp. 5g), lower left, verso, in red ; purchased from R.E. Lewis, Inc., CA)
  • Gods and Heroes: Ancient Legends in Renaissance Art. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (August 26-December 31, 2017).
    Main Gallery Rotation (gallery 117): February 7, 2013 - June 3, 2013.
    Mannerism: Italian, French, and Netherlandish Prints, 1520-1620. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (August 3-October 26, 1997).
    Real Prints: Reproduction or Invention. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (April 7-May 17, 1987).
    Year in Review: 1980. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer) (June 24-July 19, 1981).
  • {{cite web|title=Cupid and Psyche|url=false|author=Giorgio Ghisi, Giulio Romano|year=1574|access-date=29 March 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1980.94