Psyche Going to Seek the Golden Wool

"Psyche Going to Seek the Golden Wool" is a significant 16th-century Italian print created between 1530 and 1540 by the Master of the Die. This work, classified as an engraving, was executed in warm brown ink on cream laid paper, demonstrating the fine detail achievable through the print medium. The Master of the Die (active c. 1530-1560) rarely invented his own compositions, instead specializing in reproductive prints that disseminated the designs of more famous contemporaries. This specific image follows a composition by the Flemish painter Michiel Coxcie I, which itself draws heavily upon the monumental figurative style of the High Renaissance master, Raphael. This complex chain of influence highlights the extensive artistic exchange between Italy and Northern Europe during the period.

The subject illustrates one of the difficult tasks assigned to the mythological figure Psyche by Venus: the perilous mission of obtaining the golden wool from the fierce rams guarding the riverbank. The technical mastery of the Die is evident in the engraving’s ability to translate the light and shadow of the original painting into precise lines and cross-hatching. As a reproductive print, this piece played a crucial role in the sixteenth-century art market, allowing wealthy collectors to own accurate copies of celebrated compositions. The work is held in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. Its historical importance means that high-resolution images of such Renaissance prints are often made available through museum and public domain archives for study and appreciation.