Psyche presenting Venus with water from the Styx (1517) by Raphael

Psyche presenting Venus with water from the Styx - Raphael - 1517

Artwork Information

TitlePsyche presenting Venus with water from the Styx
ArtistRaphael
Date1517
Mediumchalk,paper
Dimensions26.3 x 19.7 cm
Art MovementHigh Renaissance
Current LocationLouvre, Paris, France

About Psyche presenting Venus with water from the Styx

The artwork titled “Psyche presenting Venus with water from the Styx” is a testament to the masterful craftsmanship of the High Renaissance artist Raphael. Created in 1517, it is a sketch and study rendered in chalk on paper, with dimensions of 26.3 cm by 19.7 cm. Presently housed in the Louvre in Paris, France, this work exemplifies the artistic fervor and technical precision characteristic of the High Renaissance period, a time replete with cultural rebirth and intellectual fervor.

The artwork depicts a scene from classical mythology where Psyche is shown presenting Venus, the goddess of love, with water from the river Styx. The composition features the ethereal figures of Psyche and Venus, with Psyche gracefully reaching up to offer the divine water, while Venus appears to receive it with a blend of majesty and maternal grace. Both figures are portrayed with idealized anatomical proportions, an embodiment of Renaissance humanism’s emphasis on beauty and perfection drawn from the classical past. The delicate use of line work and shading in the sketch captures the dynamic interplay between the figures, highlighting Raphael’s dexterity in expressing form and movement. This careful attention to anatomical detail and the harmonic arrangement of the figures within the space illustrate Raphael’s pursuit of beauty as an essential and defining element of the High Renaissance artistic ideal.

Other Artwork from Raphael

More High Renaissance Artwork

Scroll to Top