Psyche, Thinking to Appear More Beautiful..., Opens the Fateful Box

Psyche, Thinking to Appear More Beautiful..., Opens the Fateful Box is a complex and historically layered engraving created between 1530 and 1540 by the Master of the Die (Italian, active c. 1530-1560). Executed in warm brown ink on cream laid paper, this print exemplifies the sophisticated reproductive techniques flourishing in 16th-century Italy. The composition itself traces a remarkable lineage: the Die based his finished print on a design by the Flemish painter Michiel Coxcie I, who was, in turn, adapting a composition from the famous classical scenes originally painted by Raffaello Sanzio, called Raphael.

The work captures the crucial mythological moment when Psyche, defying Venus's instructions, opens the forbidden box she received in the Underworld, hoping to acquire the divine beauty of Proserpina. The Die’s detailed rendering preserves the High Renaissance classical style inherited from Raphael, emphasizing delicate contours and balanced forms typical of contemporary Italian prints.

As a renowned printmaker, the Die served an essential function in disseminating the designs of monumental artworks, allowing the iconic visual language of Raphael and his circle to spread across Italy and Europe. The fine technique utilized in this engraving demonstrates the Master of the Die's skill in translating the grandeur of a fresco into the intimate scale of a print. This impression is part of the extensive collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. As a historically significant piece, this artwork is frequently found in the public domain, ensuring that these masterful early modern prints remain accessible for scholarly research and appreciation.