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Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0 · Hover to magnify, click for fullscreen
Original fileThe Three Graces are depicted seated upon clouds within a triangular spandrel, surrounded by a lush garland of exotic fruits and greenery. Winged putti fly through the sky, carrying symbols of the Olympian gods—including Neptune's trident and Saturn's scythe—to illustrate the triumph of Love over the celestial and terrestrial powers.
Based on the myth in Apuleius's 'The Golden Ass', this cycle was interpreted by Renaissance humanists as a Neoplatonic allegory of the soul's (Psyche) purification and eventual union with Divine Love (Cupid). The Three Graces specifically represent the triad of divine bounty—giving, receiving, and returning—as described in the works of Neoplatonist Marsilio Ficino.
Apuleius
The narrative source for the Cupid and Psyche cycle is Apuleius's 2nd-century Roman novel 'The Golden Ass'.
Marsilio Ficino
Ficino's Neoplatonic commentaries on the nature of Love and the Three Graces informed the intellectual climate and allegorical depth of this commission.
Object
Oil on panel
mythological
Digital Source
Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0
La loggia d'Amour et de Psyché (Villa Farnesina, Rome)
1798 × 1200 px
Linked Data
AI AI-cataloged fields generated by gemini-3-flash-preview on April 1, 2026. Getty identifiers are AI-inferred and may require verification.