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Group - Cupid and Psyche

Cupid and Psyche

  • Object:

    Group

  • Place of origin:

    France (made)

  • Date:

    ca. 1898 (made)

  • Artist/Maker:

    Rodin, born 1840 - died 1917 (designer and maker)

  • Materials and Techniques:

    Marble

  • Credit Line:

    Given to the Victoria and Albert Museum by Rodin in 1914

  • Museum number:

    A.49-1914

  • Gallery location:

    Sculpture, room 21, case FS, shelf WN

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This sculpture developed from one of the groups in The Gates of Hell (the bronze portal and doors for the new Museum of Decorative Arts, Paris, which Rodin was asked to design in 1880). Rodin explored the subject over a number of years, the earliest dating from before 1886, and produced it in several other versions, as well as drawing it repeatedly.
This marble version was probably carved by his trusted assistants and technicians, under his supervision, as was normal workshop practice at the time. The contrast of the rough-hewn rock with the smooth surface of the figures indicates Rodin's admiration for the work of Michelangelo.

Place of Origin

France (made)

Date

ca. 1898 (made)

Artist/maker

Rodin, born 1840 - died 1917 (designer and maker)

Materials and Techniques

Marble

Dimensions

Height: 66 cm

Object history note

Given by the artist in 1914

Descriptive line

Group, Cupid and Psyche, by Auguste Rodin, French, marble, ca. 1898

Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)

Hawkins, Jennifer, Rodin Sculptures, London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1975, p.26, ill.24
Alley, Ronald. Tate Gallery Catalogues: Foreign Paintings, Drawings & Sculpture. Londo, 1959. pp. 222-223.
Newton, Joy. Rodin is a British Institution. Burlington Magazine. CXXXVI. Dec. 1994/ p. 827.
Mitchell, Claudine. The Zola of Sculpture. In: Mitchell, Claudine. ed. Rodin: The Zola of Sculpture. Henry Moore Institute, 2003. pp. 183-200.
Trusted, Majorie. ed. The Making of Sculpture: the Materials and Techniques of European Sculpture. London: V&A Publications, 2007. p. 95. pl. 164.

Exhibition History

Rodin (Royal Academy of Arts 23/09/2006-01/01/2007)
Rodin in Lewes (Lewes Town Hall 05/06/1999-30/10/1999)

Labels and date

This group illustrates Rodin's distinctive working of marble, in particular in the way the two figures are seen emerging from the quarried block. [June 2006]
Rodin explored this subject over a number of years, beginning in the 1880s with his work for the Gates of Hell. The smoothly finished figures emerging from rough-hewn rock reflect his admiration for the work of Michelangelo. Marble versions of Rodin's sculpture were usually carved by assistants under his supervision. This was normal workshop practice at the time. [March 2007]

Materials

Marble

Subjects depicted

Cupid; Psyche

Categories

Sculpture

Collection code

SCP

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Qr_O135952
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