Psyche in front of Jupiter 

Giovanni Battista Tiepolo created this pen and brush drawing, "Psyche in front of Jupiter", located at the Städel Museum. Tiepolo’s work reflects the opulence and theatricality of the late Baroque period in Venice, a time marked by both artistic innovation and rigid social hierarchies. Here, Tiepolo depicts a mythological scene of Psyche pleading her case before Jupiter. Psyche, a mortal woman whose beauty rivaled that of Venus, embodies the complex position of women in mythological and historical narratives. She seeks recognition, navigating a patriarchal structure dominated by gods and goddesses. The drawing highlights the power dynamics inherent in these stories. The ethereal quality of the drawing, with its light washes and fluid lines, evokes a sense of drama and heightened emotion. Psyche's plea is not just a personal one but echoes broader themes of justice, recognition, and the negotiation of power within established social orders. It is a meditation on the narratives we inherit and the spaces we create within them.