18th Century School

Eighteenth-century school The gods of Olympus, after Raphael Fan project. H. 14 cm - L. 48 cm.

This painted fan leaf depicts one of the most famous episodes in the myth of Psyche, based on the decoration of Psyche's Lodge, executed by Raphael and his workshop at the Villa Farnesina, Rome, around 1516-1518.

The scene depicts the assembly of the Olympian gods. Eros, god of Love, asks Zeus that Psyche, a young mortal with whom he is infatuated, be admitted among the immortals so that he can marry her. The gods meet to decide her fate; the request will be granted, consecrating the union of Love and Soul.

Villa Farnesina was built for Agostino Chigi, a powerful Sienese banker close to Popes Julius II and Leo X. Thought of as a place for parties, the arts and pleasure, it was among the most refined residences in Renaissance Rome. The Psyche cycle took on a particular dimension: like Psyche, Francesca Ordeaschi did not belong to the same social rank as her husband. The story of the young mortal loved by a god, then admitted among the immortals, thus echoed this union and the obstacles she had to overcome.