Carrara Marble Sculpture, 19th Century – Psyche And Cupid, Signed Pugi

A superb 19th-century Italian sculpture, carved from extremely pure Carrara marble, depicting Psyche preparing to cut a lock of Cupid's hair. The composition is distinguished by its striking dynamism: the two figures intertwine in a play of postures imbued with delicate tension.
Psyche's legs gracefully immobilize Cupid's wings, while her measured gesture and serene expression contrast with the tender, youthful face of the god of Love. The subtle contrapposto of the two figures punctuates the scene, giving it balance, movement, and emotional intensity.
The rendering of the drapery is particularly remarkable: its fluid folds seem animated by air and movement. The artist thus succeeds in uniting harmony and tension, stillness and vitality, elevating the mythological subject to a scene of almost palpable intimacy.
The natural translucency of Carrara marble enhances the work's vivid presence, revealing both the sculptor's technical virtuosity and poetic sensibility. Signed Pugi No. 11 on the base.
Very well preserved, with a soft patina consistent with the piece's age.
A timeless and romantic work, both dramatic and refined, ideal for an elegant interior or a collection of neoclassical sculpture.

Guglielmo Pugi lived in Florence, where he ran a sculpture workshop with his two sons. Their house, Guglielmo Pugi e Figli, focused primarily on export, particularly to the United States. Pugi's work, emblematic of the Art Nouveau style, is characterized by direct carving in alabaster and Carrara marble (often white or veined). Some of his sculptures are now housed in the Historical Alabaster Museum in Volterra. Many of his works were presented at major international exhibitions, such as the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo in 1901 or the World's Fair in St. Louis in 1904.