Zephyr Carrying Psyche Off to an Enchanted Palace

Zephyr Carrying Psyche Off to an Enchanted Palace is a key sixteenth-century print attributed to the Master of the Die (Italian, active c. 1530-1560). Executed in Italy between 1530 and 1540, this engraving follows a preparatory design by the Flemish artist Michiel Coxcie I, who had been inspired by the classical motifs of Raffaello Sanzio, known as Raphael. This chain of artistic influence highlights the vital role that printmaking played in disseminating the aesthetic ideals of the High Renaissance across Europe.

The work is classified as a print, specifically an engraving rendered in warm brown ink on cream laid paper. This medium demanded precision, as the Master of the Die had to translate the complex composition and fluid movement of the source material into the precise linear patterns necessary for mass reproduction. The mythological subject matter depicts the moment Zephyr, the personification of the West Wind, gently carries the sleeping mortal Psyche across the heavens to a hidden palace, establishing the central conflict of the story of Cupid and Psyche.

The resulting print reflects Mannerist tendencies of the period, evidenced in the elongated forms and elegant drapery. The practice of engravers copying celebrated masters ensured that Raphael’s influential designs remained current long after his death in 1520. Today, this example of early sixteenth-century Italian prints, which has long been studied as a crucial piece in the history of circulating art, resides within the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. Such works often enter the public domain, making the study and appreciation of the Master of the Die accessible to a broad audience.