The engraving is based on a detail of Raphael's frescoes (circa 1517-18) for the Farnesina, Agostino Chigi's villa in Rome, a small spandrel at the entrance of the Loggia di Psiche.

The scene depicts an encounter of Venus with Ceres and Juno, following her realisation that her son, Cupid, has a secret love affair with the mortal woman Psyche and has brought her to his palace on Mount Olymp. Driven by wrath and indignation, Venus is seeking support from Ceres and Juno, but they show little sympathy for her laments, fearing Cupid's arrows. Venus, with her head still turned towards the two goddesses, is about to walk away, while Juno is still arguing with Venus and Ceres raises her hand in a calming gesture.

It has been argued that a highly finished drawing by Giulio Romano of this composition, now in the Albertina (inv. no. 271), may be the preparatory drawing for this engraving.