Jupiter and Cupid

An elderly, muscular Jupiter sits enthroned on clouds, leaning forward to kiss or caress the chin of a youthful, nude Cupid. Cupid stands before him holding his signature bow, while the eagle of Jupiter looms to the right. This composition is based on Raphael's 16th-century frescoes for the Villa Farnesina, depicting the resolution of the trials of Cupid and Psyche.

Based on Apuleius's tale of Cupid and Psyche, this moment represents the reconciliation of Love and the Divine Law, often interpreted by Renaissance Neoplatonists as the soul's ultimate reception into the celestial realm. It illustrates the role of Divine Grace in sanctioning the labors of the Soul through the mediation of Love.