This article attempts to decipher the content of Giorgione's The Tempest, painted in the first decade of the 16th century. The study suggests the presence of two thematic layers in it: external, at the mundane level of the plot; and deep-laid, based on the esoteric concepts of the era. Astrology and occult practices became widespread in Italy in the second half of the 15th century. Natural magic, which was thought to attract positive star influences, acquired a wide circle of followers. The third book of Marsilio Ficino's treatise "On Life" is devoted to its practical application. The description of one of the talismans therein corresponds closely to the iconography of the characters in The Tempest. Research carried out in this connection suggests that the painting was created as a talisman capable of endowing its owner with special gifts - a love of life, outstanding intellectual abilities, and spiritual generosity.