The Marriage of Cupid and Psyche

The artwork illustrates the union of Cupid, Venus's son, and the mortal Psyche, in the company of Juno, Jupiter, Mars, and various Olympus deities, as recounted by the Latin author Apuleius in 'The Golden Ass' during the second century (Schiavone, 16). Originally designed as an octagonal composition, with later additions in the form of corner embellishments, it served as the central panel of a ceiling within the Castello di Salvatore di Collalto, situated in the northern hills of Venice, approximately around 1550 (Schiavone, 16). Schiavone's distinctive and expressive artistic style, characterized by fluid brushwork and the exaggeration of figure proportions, drew inspiration from Parmigianino and exerted a significant influence on emerging Venetian painters, including Tintoretto (Schiavone, 16).