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The Marriage of Cupid and Psyche

ca. 1540
Not on view
The painting represents the marriage of Cupid, the son of Venus, with the mortal Psyche, in the presence of Juno, Jupiter, Mars, and other gods of Olympus as narrated by second-century Latin author Apuleius in The Golden Ass. Originally an octagon (the four corners are additions), it was the central panel of a ceiling with scenes from the legend of Psyche installed in the Castello di Salvatore di Collalto, in the hills to the north of Venice, in about 1550. Schiavone’s fluid and painterly style and the exaggerated proportions of his figures were inspired by Parmigianino and were in turn important to a younger generation of Venetian painters such as Tintoretto.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: The Marriage of Cupid and Psyche
  • Artist: Andrea Schiavone (Andrea Meldola) (Italian, Zadar (Zara) ca. 1510?–1563 Venice)
  • Date: ca. 1540
  • Medium: Oil on wood, transferred to Masonite
  • Dimensions: Overall, with corners made up, 51 1/2 x 61 7/8 in. (130.8 x 157.2 cm); painted surface 50 1/2 x 61 1/2 in. (128.3 x 156.2 cm)
  • Classification: Paintings
  • Credit Line: Purchase, Gift of Mary V. T. Eberstadt, by exchange, 1972
  • Object Number: 1973.116
  • Curatorial Department: European Paintings

More Artwork

More Artwork
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The mystic marriage of Saint Catherine, Andrea Schiavone (Andrea Meldola) Italian, Etching, a late worn impression
The mystic marriage of Saint Catherine
Andrea Schiavone (Andrea Meldola)
ca. 1550
The Virgin and Child accompanied by saints, Andrea Schiavone (Andrea Meldola) Italian, Etching, top corners trimmed and made up
The Virgin and Child accompanied by saints
Andrea Schiavone (Andrea Meldola)
ca. 1540–50
Various Saints Witnessing John the Baptist's Homage to the Infant Christ, Andrea Schiavone (Andrea Meldola) Italian, Etching
Various Saints Witnessing John the Baptist's Homage to the Infant Christ
Andrea Schiavone (Andrea Meldola)
The return of the prodigal son who falls at his father's feet, Andrea Schiavone (Andrea Meldola) Italian, Etching
The return of the prodigal son who falls at his father's feet
Andrea Schiavone (Andrea Meldola)
ca. 1536–40
Moses and the burning bush, Andrea Schiavone (Andrea Meldola) Italian, Etching
Moses and the burning bush
Andrea Schiavone (Andrea Meldola)
ca. 1544–47

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