The Wedding of Cupid and Psyche 1575 - 1587

Bartholomeus Spranger rendered this drawing of The Wedding of Cupid and Psyche using pen and brown ink, with a grey wash. Here, the artist skillfully uses the pen to create fine lines and intricate details, and the wash to add depth and dimension, achieving a full tonal range. The result is a detailed, classical scene where the bodies are elongated and contorted across a wide panorama. Drawings like this demanded skill, care and time. The artist would have to spend hours at their table, with a quill in hand, meticulously hatching and cross-hatching to build up tone and volume. Given the scale of this piece, it would have likely been made by an assistant in the studio under the direction of Spranger, and then completed by him. Understanding how this drawing was crafted invites us to appreciate the skilled work that went into its making, and the cultural values assigned to this kind of expertise.