Farnesina Loggia di Psiche. 04

A grand assembly of Olympian deities is gathered on clouds to decide the fate of the mortal Psyche. On the left, Mercury stands holding his caduceus while Psyche is offered a bowl of ambrosia; on the right, Jupiter sits enthroned upon his eagle. The scene is framed by heavy, realistic garlands of fruit and vegetables that separate the main narrative from smaller scenes of Venus and Cupid below.

This fresco cycle illustrates Apuleius' 'The Golden Ass,' which Renaissance humanists interpreted as a Neoplatonic allegory for the soul's (Psyche's) ascent through trials to achieve divine union. It reflects the integration of classical mythology with the philosophical quest for the immortality of the soul.