Loggia della Eros e Psyche

The Loggia of Cupid and Psyche was designed by Raphael. Though much of the actual painting was done by his students, Raphael's own hand in evident in the lovely face of Psyche as she accends to Olympus with her lover, Cupid. While completing the loggia, Raphael was supposedly so sick wtih longing for his mistress that Chigi had her brought to stay at the villa in order to allow the artist to focus on his work. It is thought to be her face that Raphael used as a model for Psyche in this cycle of frescoes.