Psyche Embarks in Charon's Boat

Psyche Embarks in Charon's Boat by the Master of the Die (Italian, active c. 1530-1560) after Michiel Coxcie I (Flemish, 1499-1592), who was in turn inspired by Raffaello Sanzio, called Raphael (Italian, 1483-1520), is a sophisticated example of Italian printmaking from the High Renaissance era. Executed between 1530 and 1540, this piece belongs to a famed series detailing the story of Cupid and Psyche, derived originally from Apuleius’s The Golden Ass. The work is classified as an engraving, executed in warm brown ink on cream laid paper, a medium that allowed for the widespread dissemination of classical narrative themes and influential compositions across Europe. The layered complexity of the work’s origin, spanning influence from Raphael’s monumental fresco cycles in Rome through Coxcie’s reinterpretations, reflects the rich cross-cultural exchange inherent in 16th-century prints.

The scene illustrates the final great task imposed upon Psyche by Venus, requiring her to retrieve a box of Proserpina’s beauty from the Underworld. Psyche is depicted boarding the vessel of Charon, the aged ferryman of the dead, preparing to cross the River Styx. The Master of the Die’s skill transformed the grand scale of the original compositions into a detailed and accessible print format, making the designs highly influential among artists working in Italy and beyond. Such prints served as vital references for Renaissance artists seeking to study Raphael's style. This significant piece of sixteenth-century Italian culture, recognized globally, is preserved in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, and high-resolution reproductions of the work are often available through public domain sources.