Plate 22: Venus ordering Psyche to Sosort a heap of grain, from the 'Fable of Psyche'

Art Historical Context

Step into the enchanting world of Renaissance mythology with *Plate 22: Venus Psyche to Sort a of Grain*, from the *The Fable of Psyche*. This captures a pivotal moment from ancient Roman tale in Apuleius' *The Golden Ass*, where the jealous goddess Venus tasks the mortal Psyche with the impossible feat of sorting a massive pile of mixed grains before nightfall. Created between 1530 and 1560, it reflects the era's fascination with classical stories, brought to life through intricate printmaking to make grand narratives accessible to a wider audience. Engraved by the anonymous *Master of the Die* and published by Antonio Salamanca, a prominent Roman printmaker and dealer, this work exemplifies mid-16th-century techniques. The artist meticulously incised fine lines into a copper plate, creating detailed textures—from the scattered grains to Venus's commanding gesture and Psyche's weary resolve. Engravings like this were revolutionary, allowing affordable reproduction and dissemination of sophisticated imagery across Europe, fueling the spread of humanist ideals and artistic innovation during the Renaissance. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1917), this 6 1/2 x 8 7/8-inch sheet invites us to ponder themes of divine rivalry and human perseverance, a timeless drama etched in copper for eternity.

About the Artist

Master of the Die|Antonio Salamanca · 1525–1560

**Master of the Die** (fl. 1525–1560) was an anonymous Italian engraver and printmaker active primarily in Rome during the mid-16th century. Named for the distinctive small die he used to sign his prints—a tiny emblematic mark that became his moniker—this elusive artist remains unidentified despite scholarly proposals linking him to figures like Benedetto Verino, Giovanni Francesco Zabello, Tommas...