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About This Work
This print reproduces frescoes from the Loggia di Psiche, showing the trials and ultimate triumph of the soul. On the left, Psyche returns from the underworld to offer Venus a golden vessel, while the right side shows Jupiter kissing Cupid as he grants permission for his marriage. The scenes are divided by illusionistic architectural pendentives wrapped in heavy botanical garlands.
The narrative of Cupid and Psyche, originating in Apuleius's 'The Golden Ass', was interpreted by Renaissance Neoplatonists like Marsilio Ficino as an allegory for the human soul's (Psyche) journey through earthly suffering toward divine union with Love (Cupid). This specific cycle by Raphael became the definitive visual representation of the soul’s ascent and immortality within the Western esoteric tradition.