The Cleveland Museum of Art
Collection Online as of December 19, 2025
Cupid and Psyche
1574
(Italian, 1520–1582)
after Giulio Romano
Sheet: 36 x 23.4 cm (14 3/16 x 9 3/16 in.)
Catalogue raisonné: Lewis&Boorsch 50
Location: Not on view
Description
Crowned with laurel wreaths, Cupid and Psyche recline on a couch with their daughter Voluptas between them. Ceres, goddess of fertility and abundance, pours water on Cupid’s hand. The scene is derived from a story by Apuleius (about AD 124–170) narrating Psyche’s adventures leading up to her marriage to Cupid. The rich contrasts of light and shadow that Ghisi achieved in this engraving make this print especially sensual and luxurious. It reflects his later style and the different textures he was able to achieve in human bodies, silky drapery, and lush foliage.- Albertina duplicate, Vienna, stamp (Lugt Supp. 5g), lower left, verso, in red ; purchased from R.E. Lewis, Inc., CA)
- Lee, Sherman E. “The Year in Review for 1980.” The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 68, no. 6 (June 1981): 163–219. Reproduced: p. 185; Mentioned: p. 216, no. 196 www.jstor.org
- Gods and Heroes: Ancient Legends in Renaissance Art. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (August 26-December 31, 2017).Main Gallery Rotation (gallery 117): February 7, 2013 - June 3, 2013.Mannerism: Italian, French, and Netherlandish Prints, 1520-1620. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (August 3-October 26, 1997).Real Prints: Reproduction or Invention. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (April 7-May 17, 1987).Year in Review: 1980. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer) (June 24-July 19, 1981).
- {{cite web|title=Cupid and Psyche|url=false|author=Giorgio Ghisi, Giulio Romano|year=1574|access-date=19 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}
Source URL:
https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1980.94