La Psiché (The Story of Psyche), No. 2 - Raphael
Archival giclée
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Description
A classical engraving from the series depicting the myth of Cupid and Psyche, designed by Raphael for the Villa Farnesina.
This print belongs to a series documenting the decorative cycle Raphael designed for the Loggia di Psiche within the Villa Farnesina in Rome. Commissioned by the banker Agostino Chigi, the original frescoes depict the narrative of Cupid and Psyche as recounted by Apuleius in The Golden Ass. This specific plate captures a moment from the mythological sequence, rendered with the clarity and balance characteristic of the High Renaissance.
Raphael worked in collaboration with his workshop to translate these complex compositions into print form. The resulting engravings allowed the visual language of the Roman Renaissance to circulate throughout Europe. The composition focuses on the human form, utilising classical proportions and a sense of theatrical staging. The figures occupy a shallow, stage-like space, which reflects the influence of ancient relief sculpture on Raphael's practice. The lines are precise, defining the musculature and drapery with a focus on anatomical accuracy rather than atmospheric effects.
As a historical document, this print provides insight into the dissemination of Raphael's aesthetic during the sixteenth century. It captures the transition from the private commission of the Villa Farnesina to the public sphere of the print market. The work demonstrates the artist's ability to organise multiple figures into a coherent narrative, a skill that defined his approach to large-scale wall painting. The print retains the formal rigour of the original fresco, offering a monochrome interpretation of the mythological tale. It is a study in the application of classical principles to narrative art, showing how the artist balanced individual characterisation with the requirements of a larger decorative scheme. The print serves as a record of the compositional strategies employed by the artist during his final years in Rome, where he oversaw a vast array of projects for the Vatican and private patrons.
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Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
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Manufacturing
Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Care and materials
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
La Psiché (The Story of Psyche), No. 2 - Raphael
Artist Biography
Raphael
He was born in Urbino, the son of a painter. His father died when he was eleven, and by his teens he was already working in the studio of Perugino, whose smooth, symmetrical compositions gave Raphael his starting point. He surpassed Perugino quickly. He studied Leonardo's sfumato and Michelangelo's anatomical intensity and absorbed both without losing his own clarity. The Madonnas from his Florentine period (the Madonna of the Goldfinch, the Sistine Madonna) have a serene perfection that has been imitated for five hundred years and never matched.
Pope Julius II summoned him to Rome in 1508, the same year he commissioned Michelangelo for the Sistine ceiling. Raphael painted the Stanze della Segnatura: four rooms in the Vatican whose frescoes include The School of Athens, the single most famous image of classical philosophy. Plato and Aristotle walk through an ideal architecture surrounded by every major thinker of the ancient world. Raphael painted Michelangelo into the scene as Heraclitus, brooding alone on the steps. Michelangelo was furious.
He ran a large workshop that produced portraits, altarpieces, tapestry designs, and architectural plans. He was appointed architect of St Peter's Basilica. He was charming, diplomatic, and universally liked, which made Michelangelo dislike him even more.
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