Artwork
Cupid and Psyche
Cupid and Psyche is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Jan Muller. It dates from 1600 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Cupid and Psyche is an engraving on laid paper created by Jan Harmensz. Muller around 1600. The work is a representation of a scene from classical mythology.
Subject & Meaning
The engraving depicts Cupid, the winged love god, and Psyche, a woman with butterfly wings, in a tender moment. The scene is characterized by its quiet intimacy, with the two figures engaged in a soft kiss.
Technique & Style
Muller employed cross-hatching to achieve a range of tonal values and textures in the engraving. The technique involves layering fine parallel lines to create shadows and depth, giving the folds of the figures' clothing a fabric-like quality.
History & Provenance
Jan Harmensz. Muller was a Dutch engraver and painter born in Amsterdam in 1571. He trained in his family's printing business and later traveled to Italy before returning to Amsterdam, where he inherited the family business and died in 1628.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jan Harmensz. Muller (1571–1628) was a Dutch engraver and painter. Muller was born in Amsterdam. His father was a book printer, engraver and publisher. He learned the engraving trade while working in the family…
Cupid and Psyche
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Cupid and Psyche