Juno, Ceres, and Psyche in the clouds conversing
Original title: Juno, Ceres, and Psyche in the clouds conversing, Juno seated with a peacock at her feet, Ceres wearing a garland of wheat and Psyche partially naked and holding a cloth
kurzbeschreibung
Marco Dente's engraving, made around 1515–27, presents three goddesses conversing among the clouds. Juno has a peacock at her feet, Ceres wears a wreath of grain, and Psyche, half-dressed, holds a cloth in her hand.
Description
Three female figures sit on clouds, absorbed in talk. Psyche appears at the left, partly clothed, holding a cloth, her body slender and muscular. Ceres sits in the middle with a garland of wheat, while Juno, fully dressed, is enthroned at the right with a peacock at her feet. The bodies are caught in lively poses; flowing draperies and billowing clouds heighten the sense of movement. Light falls evenly, shadows are barely visible, and the symmetrical arrangement of the figures gives the picture a balanced structure.
Context
The Italian Renaissance engraver Marco Dente produced this print in the first half of the sixteenth century. It probably goes back to a design by Raphael or from his circle, since Dente often worked after models from Raphael's workshop. The subject comes from ancient mythology and was much admired in the Renaissance as an image of the world of the gods.
Impact
Even light and calm symmetry make the scene appear harmonious and poised. Flowing lines and elegant poses create a lofty, almost otherworldly mood that carries the viewer into the realm of the ancient gods.
Technique
The lines were cut into the copper plate and then transferred to paper with printing ink. Fine strokes and hatching render the figures and clouds precisely, and the steady direction of the lines reinforces the sculptural effect.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)