Hendrick Goltzius and Bartholomeus Spranger
Netherlandish 1558–1617 • Netherlandish 1546–1611
The Wedding of Cupid and Psyche
Engraving (3 plates) • 1587
Nearly the entire pantheon of gods is present in this
monumental, tri-part engraving. Like many Netherlandish
compositions, the central theme of the wedding of Cupid
and Psyche is pushed into the background, viewed through
a window of billowing clouds and a swirl of immortal flesh.
Bacchus, next to Neptune, pours wine from an amphora,
while Ceres serves food and Apollo provides divine musical
accompaniment. The putto (angel) on the right of the
left panel holds a tablet with a dedicatory inscription to
Wolfgang Rumpf, High Steward at the court of Holy Roman
Emperor Rudolf II. Spranger and Goltzius collaborated
on this work by sending each other drawings and proofs
through the post between Prague and Haarlem.
Promised gift of Norman Leitman, 2015
Last Updated: 11/18/2021