Cupid and Psyche
Figure Group
ca. 1797-1800 (made)
ca. 1797-1800 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Claude Michel, known as Clodion, was French but lived in Rome between 1762 and 1771. There he studied classical Roman sculpture, as well as the work of Michelangelo and Bernini. He was famous for small-scale terracotta groups, often made for private collectors. This work is thought to date from the late 1790s and be one of a group made by Clodion to re-establish his position after the Revolution and intended for returning emigré families.
Cupid is here represented as a young man with outstretched wings, conveying the swooning Psyche through the clouds, surrounded by 'amorini' or little winged putti (which are characteristic of Clodion's work - e.g. see also A.53-1951).
The story of Cupid and Psyche was by the 2nd century AD writer, Lucius Apuleius, in his 'Metamorphoses' (also known as 'The Golden Ass'). The widespread attention given to Psyche, the (mortal) daughter of a King and Queen, for her exceptional beauty, angers the goddess Venus greatly. She despatches her son, Cupid, to make her fall in love with a monstrous creature, but instead he falls in love with her himself.
This group demonstrates Clodion's skill in not only successfully combining and intertwining a variety of elements in a very tight composition, but also in his vigorous working and tooling of the clay to create texture which contrasts with smooth skin adjacent.
Cupid is here represented as a young man with outstretched wings, conveying the swooning Psyche through the clouds, surrounded by 'amorini' or little winged putti (which are characteristic of Clodion's work - e.g. see also A.53-1951).
The story of Cupid and Psyche was by the 2nd century AD writer, Lucius Apuleius, in his 'Metamorphoses' (also known as 'The Golden Ass'). The widespread attention given to Psyche, the (mortal) daughter of a King and Queen, for her exceptional beauty, angers the goddess Venus greatly. She despatches her son, Cupid, to make her fall in love with a monstrous creature, but instead he falls in love with her himself.
This group demonstrates Clodion's skill in not only successfully combining and intertwining a variety of elements in a very tight composition, but also in his vigorous working and tooling of the clay to create texture which contrasts with smooth skin adjacent.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Cupid and Psyche (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Terracotta |
| Brief description | Group, terracotta, Cupid and Psyche, by Clodion, France, ca. 1797-1800 |
| Physical description | Cupid and Psyche, terracotta figure group. Cupid is represented as a young man with outstretched wings conveying the swooning Psyche through the clouds, assisted by four amorini. Two others, one holding the remainder of an object that has been broken off (and which must have been a torch) fly at Cupid's left side. Psyche is nude and Cupid wears a garland, which hangs over his right shoulder. A long swirl of drapery passes over his left shoulder, across the legs of Psyche. He supports her with his right arm; her left arm passes beneath his shoulders and their left hands touch. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | 'CLODION' (Signed at the back. The N reversed as customary. ) |
| Gallery label |
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| Credit line | Given by Sir Chester Beatty F.S.A. |
| Object history | Given by Sir Chester Beatty FSA. |
| Historical context | This is probably the 'Abduction of Psyche', which was among the effects of Clodion at the time of his death. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | Claude Michel, known as Clodion, was French but lived in Rome between 1762 and 1771. There he studied classical Roman sculpture, as well as the work of Michelangelo and Bernini. He was famous for small-scale terracotta groups, often made for private collectors. This work is thought to date from the late 1790s and be one of a group made by Clodion to re-establish his position after the Revolution and intended for returning emigré families. Cupid is here represented as a young man with outstretched wings, conveying the swooning Psyche through the clouds, surrounded by 'amorini' or little winged putti (which are characteristic of Clodion's work - e.g. see also A.53-1951). The story of Cupid and Psyche was by the 2nd century AD writer, Lucius Apuleius, in his 'Metamorphoses' (also known as 'The Golden Ass'). The widespread attention given to Psyche, the (mortal) daughter of a King and Queen, for her exceptional beauty, angers the goddess Venus greatly. She despatches her son, Cupid, to make her fall in love with a monstrous creature, but instead he falls in love with her himself. This group demonstrates Clodion's skill in not only successfully combining and intertwining a variety of elements in a very tight composition, but also in his vigorous working and tooling of the clay to create texture which contrasts with smooth skin adjacent. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | A.23-1958 |
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| Record created | March 2, 2004 |
| Record URL |
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