The Gods Celebrating the Wedding of Psyche and Cupid by Master of the Die (Italian, active c. 1530-1560) after Michiel Coxcie I (Flemish, 1499-1592) in turn, inspired by Raffaello Sanzio, called Raphael (Italian, 1483-1520), is a key example of mid-sixteenth-century Italian reproductive printmaking. Created between 1530 and 1540, this work is an engraving executed in warm brown ink on cream laid paper. The print medium allowed for the widespread dissemination of celebrated Renaissance compositions throughout Europe. The mythological subject depicts the climactic feast celebrating the union of the mortal Psyche and the god Cupid, witnessed by the assembled Olympian deities.
Although the overall design traces its lineage back to Raphael’s celebrated frescoes for the Farnesina Villa in Rome, this specific engraving captures the visual interpretation filtered through the hand of the Flemish Mannerist, Coxcie. The technical skill of the Die is evident in the intricate line work required to translate the grandeur of a large-scale wall painting into the intimate scale of a print. The creation of such prints was a major component of visual culture in Italy, making canonical compositions accessible to collectors who could not visit the primary location. This piece solidified Raphael's pervasive influence on art well into the 16th century, contributing significantly to the visual vocabulary of the era. Today, this important print resides in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago and is often shared for research and enjoyment within the public domain.
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