Engraving On Vellum, Psyche And Cupid, Gallery Of Florence And Pitti Palace

Psyche and Cupid
Gallery of Florence and Pitti Palace
Original etching and burinParis, between 1789 and 1807
This sumptuous double sheet presents one of the masterpieces of ancient statuary: the group of Psyche and Cupid, immortalized here in an engraving of great finesse. This work gracefully illustrates the Greek myth of Psyche, a young mortal of great beauty, and Cupid, god of love. The episode depicted is that of their triumphant reconciliation, after many trials imposed by Venus on Psyche. In this scene imbued with tenderness, the two figures embrace in a pose of striking naturalness, both modest and sensual. Psyche, standing, gently raises her face towards her lover. Cupid, with outstretched wings, delicately surrounds his beloved in a protective posture. Their youthful bodies are modeled with great attention to detail: supple lines, round muscles, flowing drapery – all contribute to an aesthetic of the neoclassical ideal, where humanity meets the divine. A work full of symbols: Psyche embodies the human soul, tested by suffering but promised beauty and light. The union of Psyche and Cupid then becomes an allegory of the elevation of the soul through love, a theme dear to Neoplatonic philosophers and 18th-century aesthetics. The work fascinated artists and thinkers of the time, and was engraved several times. An ancient copy of this group can be found in the Capitoline Museum in Rome, which testifies to its prestige and influence in the history of art. In addition: The bottom of the plate is decorated with two engraved medallions representing scenes from ancient mythology:
• Jupiter abducting Europa, from Idyll XIX attributed to Theocritus: Europa, surprised by the god transformed into a bull, is carried across the seas.
• Jupiter striking down a Titan, inspired by Homeric stories: a giant Titan is struck by divine lightning, embodying the omnipotence of the Olympians over primitive chaos. These two vignettes are taken from engraved sardonyx (antique gems), which 18th-century engravers reproduced with great accuracy.
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Technical details:
• Sheet dimensions: approximately 54 x 38 cm
• Technique: Etching and burin on Annonay vellum paper
• Publication: Extract from the work “Tableaux, Statues, Bas-Reliefs et Camées de la Galerie de Florence et du Palais Pitti”, published in Paris from 1789 to 1807
• Artists:
• Drawing: Jean-Baptiste Wicar
• Engraving: Claude-Louis Masquelier
• Artistic direction: P.-F.-L. Fontaine
• Explanatory text: Mongez l'aînéConservation condition: Original thick paper with wide margins, untrimmed. Two visible damp spots (one at the top, one at the bottom left) without alteration of the image or the text. Very beautiful inking, perfectly legible engraving, beautiful contrast. Provenance: Important publishing enterprise commissioned during the Revolution to distribute in France the ancient masterpieces preserved in the Uffizi of Florence and the Pitti Palace, then property of the Medici.