Psyche at her Toilet (from Hill Hall, Essex) thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
British Galleries, Room 58

Psyche at her Toilet (from Hill Hall, Essex)

Panel
ca. 1575 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Object Type
This is a rare example of an English wall painting of the period. Houses owned by the gentry and merchants were often decorated with murals during the 16th and 17th centuries, mostly in imitation of wall hangings. However, few figurative paintings survive. They were not considered worth preserving and were often overpainted, or even destroyed, during subsequent redecoration.

Subjects Depicted
The painting includes an episode from the story of Cupid and Psyche. This is a famous tale in the Roman novel now called The Golden Ass, written by Lucius Apuleius in the 2nd century AD. It was first translated into English by William Arlington in 1566. The scene shows Psyche at her toilet, accompanied by her assistant.

People
Lucas de Heere, who possibly painted these scenes, was born in Ghent, Flanders (now Belgium). He had a distinguished career on the Continent, working as a painter, tapestry designer, draughtsman and poet. However, his Calvinist (or Protestant) sympathies led him to spend the years 1567-1576 in England.

Place
Hill Hall was owned by Sir Thomas Smith (1513-1577), Secretary of State to Edward VI and later to Elizabeth I. Other sections of this decorative scheme can still be seen at Hill Hall (English Heritage).


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitlePsyche at her Toilet (from Hill Hall, Essex) (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Brief description
Painted plaster panel, Psyche at her toilet, painted after Michiel Coxie the elder, made possibly by Lucas d'Heere, ca. 1575, Essex
Physical description
Coloured distemper painting on a thin coat of fine plaster depicting Psyche at her toilet, a scene from the love story of Cupid and Psyche
Dimensions
  • Height: 101.6cm
  • Width: 95.8cm
300 Dimensions checked: Measured; 13/10/2000 by Shayne Rivers Display dimensions refer to old box frame, measured by Greg Howarth. SB knows that new steel frame of similar size to be designed.
Gallery label
British Galleries: This is a fragment from a room (shown in the photograph of about 1937) that was once entirely decorated with frescoes showing the love story of Cupid and Psyche. They were deliberately painted to represent hanging tapestry. The depiction of the ancient gods naked shows a renewed interest in classical sculpture. Naked men evoked the heroism of the ancient world, naked women it passionate love affairs.(27/03/2003)
Credit line
Given by Lord Edward Hay
Object history
Given by Lord Edward Hay, Hill Hall, Theydon Mount Essex
RP 1620/38
Rubbed and cracked in many places

Removed from Hill Hall, Essex, where (together with W8 and W10- 1938) it formed part of a large decorative scheme (see Neg. 77381, photograph taken before demolition). The designs were taken from a set of engravings illustrating the story of Cupid and Psyche by the Master of the Die and Agostino Veneziano after designs by Michiel Coxie, or possibly from a later imitation of these engravings by J. A. Ducerceau.

Possibly by Lucas de Heere (born in Ghent, about 1534, died, possibly in Ghent, 1584); based on a print by the Master of the Die, using designs by Michiel Coxcie the Elder (born in Mechelen, Belgium 1499, died there in 1592)
Painted at Hill Hall, Theydon Mount, Essex
Production
Based on a set of engravings by the Master of the Die and Agostino Veneziano after original designs by Michiel Coxie the Elder (born in Mechelen, Belgium 1499, died there in 1592), or possibly from a later imitation of these engravings by J. A. Ducerceau.

Painted at Hill Hall, Theydon Mount, Essex.
Subject depicted
Summary
Object Type
This is a rare example of an English wall painting of the period. Houses owned by the gentry and merchants were often decorated with murals during the 16th and 17th centuries, mostly in imitation of wall hangings. However, few figurative paintings survive. They were not considered worth preserving and were often overpainted, or even destroyed, during subsequent redecoration.

Subjects Depicted
The painting includes an episode from the story of Cupid and Psyche. This is a famous tale in the Roman novel now called The Golden Ass, written by Lucius Apuleius in the 2nd century AD. It was first translated into English by William Arlington in 1566. The scene shows Psyche at her toilet, accompanied by her assistant.

People
Lucas de Heere, who possibly painted these scenes, was born in Ghent, Flanders (now Belgium). He had a distinguished career on the Continent, working as a painter, tapestry designer, draughtsman and poet. However, his Calvinist (or Protestant) sympathies led him to spend the years 1567-1576 in England.

Place
Hill Hall was owned by Sir Thomas Smith (1513-1577), Secretary of State to Edward VI and later to Elizabeth I. Other sections of this decorative scheme can still be seen at Hill Hall (English Heritage).
Associated objects
Bibliographic reference
J.F.A. Roberts, ‘English wall-Paintings after Italian engravings’ in The Burlington Magazine , vol. XVIII, 1941, p. 86-92, Pl. A-C.
Collection
Accession number
W.9-1938

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Record createdMarch 27, 2003
Record URL
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