Love and Psyche (David)

Last updated
Cupid and Psyche
Clevelandart 1962.37.jpg
Artist Jacques-Louis David   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Year1817
Dimensions184 cm (72 in) × 242 cm (95 in)
Location Cleveland Museum of Art
[ edit on Wikidata]

Love and Psyche or Cupid and Psyche is an 1817 painting by Jacques-Louis David, now in the Cleveland Museum of Art. It shows Cupid and Psyche. It was produced during David's exile in Brussels, [1] for the patron and collector Gian Battista Sommariva. [2] [3] On its first exhibition at the museum in Brussels, it surprised viewers with its realist treatment of the figure of Cupid. [4] Critics generally saw the painting's unconventional style and realistic depiction of Cupid as proof of David's decline while in exile, but art historians have come to see the work as a deliberate departure from traditional methods of representing mythological figures. [5]

Contents

Background

Exile

David began planning Love and Psyche in Paris in 1813, then completed it while in exile in Brussels, following Napoleon's fall from power. It was the first painting that David finished in exile. [6] Louis XVIII had offered David a pardon for his activities during the Revolution, but the painter decided instead to enter exile in Brussels. [6] Up to this time, David had often been regarded as an imitator of ancient art. [6] His typical style was what the German art historian Winckelmann described as the “beau ideal.” [6] This style focused on an idealized image of bodies. David's style had also previously been characterized by its simplicity. [6] Love and Psyche dramatically deviates from these traits. When it debuted in Paris, many viewers saw it as a symbol of the negative effect of David's exile. [7]

Patronage and inspiration

This painting was made for the collection of Sommariva, who had gained his wealth quickly through dubious financial operations. [8] : 232  Sommariva likely assembled his collection in order to display his wealth and enhance his reputation. [8] : 232 

According to David's correspondence, he had become interested in the story of Cupid and Psyche and wanted put a new twist on an overused theme through his use of realism. [8] : 232  James Gallatin, the 17-year-old son of an American diplomat, posed nude for the painting, which may explain the awkward teenage look of Cupid. [8] : 232 

This painting is based on a myth that comes from Apuleius's Metamorphoses. According to the story, Psyche is a beautiful mortal, who is punished for her beauty by Venus, who is jealous of her beauty. Her punishment is left up to Venus's son Cupid, but he falls in love with Psyche. Cupid rescues Psyche from her ultimate demise by capturing her and bringing her to his castle. He keeps his identity secret in order not to upset his mother. Every night Cupid stays with Psyche and leaves in the morning before she wakes up. Psyche begins to wonder who he is, and tries to use a lamp to discover his true identity. Cupid catches her in this act and abandons her. In Apuleius's story, the remainder of the myth is about Psyche trying to regain Cupid's love. [9] David's picture captures the moment in the morning when Cupid sneaks off after spending the night with her. The art historian Mary Vidal has argued that David's painting engages with the ambiguity and reversals of meaning in Apuleius's original work, recreating the author's “deceptive approach to an allegory.” [9]

Painting details

The painting features Cupid sneaking off as Psyche peacefully sleeps in the background. The setting is decorative and cluttered, as David tries to communicate the circumstances of Psyche's imprisonment. [10] The dark, deep colors and the overwhelming canopy contrast with the setting in the background. [10] The landscape, according to Mary Vidal, symbolizes a “journey, renewal and illumination,” which contrasts with Psyche's circumstances. [9] : 221  The bodies of both Cupid and Psyche are illuminated in contrast with the dark colors of the background, further highlighting their unidealized appearance.

David began the project prior to his exile, and he made numerous changes to his design after arriving in Brussels. [7] He made significant alterations after the design was transferred to canvas, which was unusual. [7] The biggest change was the decoration of the interior in the Empire style, which may have served as a remembrance of the time when Napoleon was in power. [7]

There is a small detail of a butterfly above Psyche. The flying butterfly symbolizes, according to the art historian Issa Lampe, both “death and transcendence," serving as a commentary on Cupid's departure from Pysche every morning. [7]

The most striking detail of this painting is the hyper-realistic depiction of Cupid's body and his expression. David's original study shows he always intended to paint Cupid in this manner, even before his exile. [7] Cupid's wings continue this style, as they are worn out and ugly, making Cupid seem to be a part of the mortal realm rather than godly. [7]

Analysis

Gerard Cupid and Psyche (1798) Gerard FrancoisPascalSimon-Cupid Psyche end.jpg
Gerard Cupid and Psyche (1798)

Analyses of the painting typically focus on the realistic portrayal of Cupid, which deviates from the traditional treatment of the myth. [10] François Gérard's Cupid and Psyche from 1798 is sometimes cited as a comparison. In Gérard's work, both characters are painted in an idealized way that emphasizes the purity of young love. Traditional depictions of the myth also usually did not implicate Cupid and portrayed him as largely innocent and beautiful. [10] [9] Art historians have also compared David's painting to François Édouard Picot's Amor and Psyche (1819), which depicts the same moment of Cupid leaving, but in an idealized manner. [10]

In David's version, Cupid appears to be sinister while Psyche is vulnerable, suggesting a slightly perverted relationship between the two. [10] Cupid seems almost unhealthy; his complexion is muddied, and his expression and body language seem unloving, bordering on hostile, and his body is scrawny, a far cry from the idealized bodies typical of the time. [10] Cupid's positioning and gaze break the separation between the subject and the viewer. He appears to step out of the painting into reality and his gaze is directed at the viewer. [10] This creates, according to the art historian Dorothy Johnson, an uncomfortable sensation when looking at the painting as it “makes the viewers complicit in this power dynamic” between Cupid and Psyche. [10]

Picot, Amor and Psyche (1817) Amore e Psiche - Francois-Edouard Picot - 1817 - Paris (29664001984).jpg
Picot, Amor and Psyche (1817)

Psyche's pose has also been compared withTitian and Correggio's depictions of reclining goddesses. [10] Her facial expression is innocent and beautiful. [10] She is still asleep, emphasizing her vulnerability. The contrast between sweet Psyche and vulgar Cupid is important to the novelty that art historians have seen in the painting. [10]

Titian Venus of Urbino (1538): Example of Recumbent Goddess Venus de Urbino, por Tiziano.jpg
Titian Venus of Urbino (1538): Example of Recumbent Goddess

Criticism

Two supportive articles about the painting appeared when it was first shown, but they were likely influenced by David himself. [8] Both of them focused on the realism, one article saying it was a "purely historical" approach to mythology. [8] When put into contrast with Picot's work, the realism was further applauded by some. [8]

The overwhelming the response, however, was negative. The ruling class preferred more idealized works, as the realism was seen as immoral for hinting at sexual undertones. [8] Gros, who was otherwise a known supporter of David, said that “the head of Amor has a somewhat faun-like character, the hands are somewhat dark and above all not refined enough.” [10] Other critics were confused by the deviation from Cupid's typical appearance and were disturbed by the distortion of it. [10]

See also

Bibliography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacques-Louis David</span> French painter (1748–1825)

Jacques-Louis David was a French painter in the Neoclassical style, considered to be the preeminent painter of the era. In the 1780s, his cerebral brand of history painting marked a change in taste away from Rococo frivolity toward classical austerity, severity, and heightened feeling, which harmonized with the moral climate of the final years of the Ancien Régime.

Psyche is the Greek term for "soul".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">François Boucher</span> 18th-century French painter (1703-1770)

François Boucher was a French painter, draughtsman and etcher, who worked in the Rococo style. Boucher is known for his idyllic and voluptuous paintings on classical themes, decorative allegories, and pastoral scenes. He was perhaps the most celebrated painter and decorative artist of the 18th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Psyche (mythology)</span> Ancient Greek goddess of the soul

Psyche is the Greek goddess of the soul and often represented as a beautiful woman with butterfly wings. The name Psyche means "soul" in Greek and was commonly referred to as such in Roman mythology as well, though direct translation is Anima. She was born a mortal woman eventually granted immortality, with beauty that rivaled even Aphrodite, goddess of love. Psyche is known from the novel called The Golden Ass, also known as Metamorphoses, written by the Roman philosopher and orator Apuleius in the 2nd century. In the myth, she was given multiple trials in order to be with her beloved, Eros, also known as Cupid, god of physical love and desire and son of Aphrodite. The cultural influences of Psyche's story can be depicted in art dating back to the 4th century BCE.

<i>LAmour et Psyché, enfants</i> 1890 painting by William Adolphe Bouguereau

L'Amour et Psyché, enfants is an oil painting by William Adolphe Bouguereau in 1890. It is currently in a private collection. It was displayed in the Salon of Paris in 1890, the year Bouguereau was President of the Société des Artistes Français. The painting features Greek mythological figures Eros and Psyché, sharing an embrace and kiss. Bouguereau was a classical-style painter in the Neoclassical era of art. The painting is characterized by the frothy background the figures delicately stand on. It depicts the beginning of the forbidden romance of Cupid and Psyche, a popular subject at the time of execution.

<i>The Golden Ass</i> Ancient Roman novel by Apuleius

The Metamorphoses of Apuleius, which Augustine of Hippo referred to as The Golden Ass, is the only ancient Roman novel in Latin to survive in its entirety.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cupid and Psyche</span> Classical story of Cupid and Psyche

Cupid and Psyche is a story originally from Metamorphoses, written in the 2nd century AD by Lucius Apuleius Madaurensis. The tale concerns the overcoming of obstacles to the love between Psyche and Cupid or Amor, and their ultimate union in a sacred marriage. Although the only extended narrative from antiquity is that of Apuleius from 2nd century AD, Eros and Psyche appear in Greek art as early as the 4th century BC. The story's Neoplatonic elements and allusions to mystery religions accommodate multiple interpretations, and it has been analyzed as an allegory and in light of folktale, Märchen or fairy tale, and myth.

<i>Psyche Revived by Cupids Kiss</i> Sculpture in two versions by Antonio Canova

Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss is a sculpture by Italian artist Antonio Canova first commissioned in 1787 by Colonel John Campbell. It is regarded as a masterpiece of Neoclassical sculpture, but shows the mythological lovers at a moment of great emotion, characteristic of the emerging movement of Romanticism. It represents the god Cupid in the height of love and tenderness, immediately after awakening the lifeless Psyche with a kiss. The story of Cupid and Psyche is taken from Lucius Apuleius' Latin novel The Golden Ass, and was popular in art.

<i>Mars Being Disarmed by Venus</i> Painting by Jacques-Louis David

Mars Being Disarmed by Venus is the last painting produced by the French artist Jacques-Louis David. He began it in 1822 during his exile in Brussels and completed it three years later, before dying in an accident in 1825. The work combines idealization with elements of realism. Specifically, David integrated the idealized forms of mythological painting with a realist attention to detail. This combination of two seemingly incompatible principles also plays an important role in the themes of the painting, most notably in its treatment of masculinity and femininity.

<i>Psyché</i> (play)

Psyché is a five-act tragicomédie et ballet, originally written as a prose text by Molière and versified in collaboration with Pierre Corneille and Philippe Quinault, with music composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully in 1671 and by Marc-Antoine Charpentier in 1684. The plot is based on the story of Cupid and Psyche in The Golden Ass, written in the 2nd century by Apuleius. It was first performed on 17 January 1671 before the royal court of Louis XIV at the Théâtre des Tuileries, with ballets by Pierre Beauchamps, Anthoine des Brosses, and Nicolas Delorge, and spectacular scenery and special effects designed by Carlo Vigarani.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cupid</span> Ancient Roman god of desire, affection and erotic love

In classical mythology, Cupid is the god of desire, erotic love, attraction and affection. He is often portrayed as the son of the love goddess Venus and the god of war Mars. He is also known as Amor. His Greek counterpart is Eros. Although Eros is generally portrayed as a slender winged youth in Classical Greek art, during the Hellenistic period, he was increasingly portrayed as a chubby boy. During this time, his iconography acquired the bow and arrow that represent his source of power: a person, or even a deity, who is shot by Cupid's arrow is filled with uncontrollable desire. In myths, Cupid is a minor character who serves mostly to set the plot in motion. He is a main character only in the tale of Cupid and Psyche, when wounded by his own weapons, he experiences the ordeal of love. Although other extended stories are not told about him, his tradition is rich in poetic themes and visual scenarios, such as "Love conquers all" and the retaliatory punishment or torture of Cupid.

<i>Sappho and Phaon</i> Painting by Jacques-Louis David

Sappho and Phaon is an 1809 neoclassical painting by the French painter Jacques-Louis David of Cupid, Sappho and her lover Phaon. It was commissioned by Prince Nikolai Yusupov for his Moika Palace and is now the only painting by David in the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg.

<i>Landscape with Psyche Outside the Palace of Cupid</i> 1664 painting by Claude Lorrain

Landscape with Psyche Outside the Palace of Cupid, or The Enchanted Castle, 1664, is a painting, oil on canvas, by Claude Lorrain in the National Gallery, London. It was commissioned by Lorenzo Onofrio Colonna, a Roman aristocrat. Its subject is taken from The Golden Ass (IV-VI), by Apuleius – the love story of Psyche the soul, and Cupid the god of love. It is not clear if Psyche sits in front of Cupid's castle before she meets him, or after he has abandoned her.

<i>The Farewell of Telemachus and Eucharis</i> Painting by Jacques-Louis David

The Farewell of Telemachus and Eucharis is a painting from 1818 by Jacques-Louis David, now in the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, California. Painted during David's exile in Brussels, it was purchased by the Count von Schönborn-Wiesentheid. It depicts Telemachus and Eucharis, two characters in François Fénelon's 1699 novel Les Aventures de Télémaque, inspired by Homer's Odyssey. The artist's last painting of a couple from mythology, it is a pendant painting to his Love and Psyche.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Psyche Abandoned (painting)</span> Painting by Jacques-Louis David

Psyche Abandoned is a c. 1795 painting by Jacques-Louis David, now in a private collection. It shows Psyche as a crouching female nude in profile against a blue sky with a hill in the background. She stares at the viewer with an expression of loss, pain, and betrayal. Thought to have been painted during David's imprisonment during the French Revolution, it dates from either 1794 or 1795. Vertical in format, it diverges from the academic conventions for representing the female nude.

<i>The Psyché</i> (My Studio) Painting by Alfred Stevens

The Psyché is an oil on panel painting by the Belgian artist Alfred Stevens. Painted in circa 1871, the painting once belonged to Robert de Montesquiou, and is currently housed at the Princeton University Art Museum located in Princeton, New Jersey.

<i>Psyche Showing Her Sisters Her Gifts from Cupid</i> Painting by Jean-Honoré Fragonard

Psyche Showing Her Sisters Her Gifts from Cupid is an oil painting by the French artist Jean-Honoré Fragonard, painted in 1753, in the National Gallery in London. Its dimensions are 168.3 by 192.4 cm.

The Bath of Psyche is an oil painting by Frederic Leighton, first exhibited in 1890. It is in the collection of Tate Britain.

<i>Cupid and Psyche</i> (Gérard) Painting by François Gérard

Cupid and Psyche is an oil-on-canvas painting by French painter François Gérard, from 1798. It was exhibited for the first time at the Salon of 1798. It is held in the Louvre, in Paris.

<i>Pygmalion and Galatea</i> (Girodet) Painting by Anne-Louis Girodet

Pygmalion and Galatea is a oil-on-canvas painting by the French painter Anne-Louis Girodet. It represents the myth of Pygmalion and Galatea as told by Ovid in the Metamorphoses. The figures Pygmalion and Galatea are shown with Cupid, the god of desire. Girodet began the work in 1813, but it took him eight years to complete. It is Girodet's last work.

References

  1. ↑ Bender, Narim (2015-04-29). Jacques Louis David: 88 Paintings. Osmora Incorporated. ISBN   978-2-7659-1336-8.
  2. ↑ Francis, Henry S. (1963). "Jacques Louis David: Cupid and Psyche". The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art. 50 (2): 29–34. ISSN   0009-8841. JSTOR   25151934.
  3. ↑ David, Jacques Louis (2006). Jacques-Louis David: New Perspectives. University of Delaware Press. p. 145. ISBN   978-0-87413-930-3.
  4. ↑ Johnson, Dorothy (1997). Jacques-Louis David: The Farewell of Telemachus and Eucharis. Getty Publications. p. 8. ISBN   978-0-89236-236-3.
  5. ↑ Lee, Simon (2003). "David, Jacques-Louis". Grove Art Online. doi:10.1093/gao/9781884446054.article.t021541. ISBN   978-1-884446-05-4 . Retrieved 2022-11-01.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Francis, Henry S. (1963). "Jacques Louis David: Cupid and Psyche". The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art. 50 (2): 29–34. ISSN   0009-8841. JSTOR   25151934.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Lampe, Issa. “Repainting Love Leaving Psyche: David’s Memorial to an Empire Past.” in David after David, edited by Mark Ledbury, 108-121. Massachusetts: Sterling and Francine Art Institute, 2007
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Bordes, Philippe (2005). Jacques-Louis David: Empire to Exile. Yale University Press.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Vidal, Mary (June 1999). "With a Pretty Whisper: Deception and Transformation in David's Cupid and Psyche and Apuleius's Metamorphoses". Art History. 22 (2): 214–243. doi: 10.1111/1467-8365.00150 . ISSN   0141-6790.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Dorothy, Johnson (1993). Jacques-Louis David : art in metamorphosis. Princeton University Press. ISBN   0-691-03218-1. OCLC   471523490.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.