Can one truly watch a salamander burn and grasp the secret of desire?
A few years ago, during restoration work at Palazzo Grimani to restore the original spatial arrangement of a 16th-century room, an ancient chimney flue was discovered behind a wall. Once the debris was cleared from the hearth, a magnificent bas-relief emerged, depicting a salamander seemingly dancing amid the flames that enveloped it.
One can imagine that when the fireplace was lit, a captivating spectacle unfolded: the creature shimmered in the fire, twirling in the flickering flames, creating the impression of a shadow puppet escaped from its theater. Yet, when the last log in the hearth had burned down, the salamander, moments earlier a fleeting figure, returned to stone. Sculpted in solid matter and blackened with soot, the poetic metaphor of the creature embodying desire remained as a tangible presence.
At floor level, the salamander served as a hypnotic focal point, drawing the gaze of those present. Meanwhile, on the ceiling, the sensual canvases of Francesco Salviati depicting the Stories of Cupid and Psyche gleamed, reminding viewers that, like humans, even the gods suffer the torments of passion. Together, the salamander and the paintings formed a symbolic unity: a tribute to the power of love, both divine and human, capable of overcoming the most arduous trials.
The tale, drawn from Apuleius’s Metamorphoses, recounts how Cupid fell madly in love with Psyche and how their love was tested by numerous obstacles, even imposed by Venus, Cupid’s capricious mother. Psyche, driven by her indomitable love, overcame every challenge, ultimately earning immortality and Venus’s consent to their marriage.
The theme of the tale, combined with the salamander, thus celebrated the triumph of desire. The tenacity of passion and the determination to overcome the harsh trials it sometimes imposes were ultimately transformed into a divine force, leading to the union of love.
