Plate 3: Psyche's two sisters are married to kings, from "The Fable of Psyche"
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
sheet: 7 11/16 x 8 7/8 in. (19.5 x 22.5 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Harry G. Friedman, 1962
Accession Number
62.635.905
Tags
Art Historical Context
This enchanting engraving, *Plate 3: Psyche's two sisters are married to kings*, from the series *The Fable of Psyche*, captures a pivotal moment in the ancient Roman tale from Apuleius's *The Golden Ass*. Here, Psyche's envious sisters wed royal suitors in lavish splendor, contrasting their earthly fortunes with Psyche's divine yet tormented love for Cupid. Produced between 1530 and 1560, it draws from the Renaissance fascination with classical mythology, bringing the myth's drama to life through intricate printmaking. Attributed to the Master of the Die (engraver), Antonio Salamanca (publis...
About the Artist
Master of the Die|Antonio Salamanca|Michiel Coxie (I) · 1525–1560
**Master of the Die** (fl. 1525–1560) was an anonymous Italian engraver and printmaker active primarily in Rome during the mid-16th century. Named for the distinctive small die he used to sign his prints—a tiny emblematic mark that became his moniker—this elusive artist remains unidentified despite scholarly proposals linking him to figures like Benedetto Verino, Giovanni Francesco Zabello, Tommas...