An artwork on Galleree from Cleveland Museum of Art.
About the artwork
Cupid and Psyche1817
Jacques-Louis David
The founder and leading painter of the neoclassical movement in France, Jacques-Louis David was born in Paris to a prosperous family of artists and archi-tects. In 1766 he entered the Académie Royale as the pupil of Joseph-Marie Vien (1716-1809). After several failed attempts, David won the Prix de Rome in 1774. The following year he left for Italy, where he studied antique art and envisioned replacing the frivolity of the rococo with an art of grandeur, simplicity, and moral virtue. After returning to Paris in 1780, he established his reputa-tion with three spectacular successes at the Salon: The Oath of the Horatii (1785, Musée du Louvre, Paris), The Death of Socrates (1787, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York), and The Lictors Bring-ing Brutus the Bodies of His Sons (1789, Musée du Louvre, Paris). Widely interpreted as moral parables for contemporary political events, these archetypes of neoclassical aesthetics set the standard for academic painting of the next century. In the 1790s David joined the radical Jacobin Club and played an active role in the French Revolution. He allied himself with Robespierre, served a short term as president of the Convention, and voted for the execution of Louis XVI. He also placed his artistic talents at the service of the Revolution by creating paintings that glorified its martyrs and by organizing public festivals that celebrated the new political order. As the most prominent artist in the revolutionary ranks, he led the attack against the Académie Royale that culminated in its abolish-ment in 1793. When the excesses of the Reign of Terror precipitated the fall of Robespierre in 1794, David was imprison-ed but spared execution. Authorities released him the following year due to ill health. Around 1798 David developed a new alliance with the brilliant young general of the Directory, Napoléon Bonaparte. David's painting The Intervention of the Sabine Women (1799, Musée du Louvre, Paris) coalesced perfectly with Napoleonic propaganda urging national reconciliation. After the coup d'état of 1799, Napoléon was named first consul and began supplying David with important commissions. Upon Napoléon's coronation in 1804, David was appointed first painter to the emperor. David's monumental painting The Coronation of Napoléon, or Le Sacre (1805-7, Musée du Louvre, Paris), introduced a less spartan, more colorful and emotive style. However, as seen in his life-size portrait Napoléon in His Study (1812, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.), David increasingly searched to balance this new heroic-romanticism with an exacting realism. In 1816, following Napoléon's defeat at Waterloo and the restoration of the monarchy, David went into exile in Belgium. He spent the last nine years of his life in Brussels, painting mostly mythological subjects and portraits. David died of a stroke in 1825 and was denied burial in France.
David used the story of Cupid and Psyche to explore the conflict between idealized love and physical reality. Cupid, lover of the beautiful mortal Psyche, visited her nightly on the condition that she not know his identity. Cupid was usually depicted as an ideal adolescent, but here David presents him as an ungainly teenager smirking at his sexual conquest. David took inspiration from a number of ancient texts, including an obscure, recently published Greek poem by Moschus that describes Cupid as a mean-spirited brat with flashing eyes and curly hair.
Jacques-Louis David included two butterflies in this painting: one above the slumbering Psyche and the other on the base of the couple's bed frame.
oil on canvas
Framed: 221 x 282 x 10 cm (87 x 111 x 3 15/16 in.); Unframed: 184.2 x 241.6 cm (72 1/2 x 95 1/8 in.)
Leonard C. Hanna, Jr. Fund
In a dimly lit room, where the past whispers through the shadows, the tale of Cupid and Psyche unfolds—a narrative rich with the tension between an idealized love and the sharp edges of reality. Once, in a world where dreams and desires intertwined, Cupid, the beloved son of Venus, fell for the enchanting mortal Psyche. Their love was veiled in mystery, for Cupid came to her each night, enchanting her with his presence, yet cautioning her to never unveil his true identity.
But amidst the softness of their forbidden romance, a sharp contrast emerged. Traditionally, Cupid was portrayed as an ethereal boy, embodying perfection and innocence. Yet, in this reimagining by the artist David, the figure of Cupid transforms. He stands before us, not as a flawless angel but rather as an ungainly teenager. With a smirk that speaks of youthful mischief, he embraces the complexities of desire and conquest.
David’s inspiration flowed not only from the realm of love stories but also from the echoes of ancient texts. Among these influences, a lesser-known Greek poem by Moschus surfaced, recently unearthed from the depths of time. In its verses, Cupid is not the romantic ideal; rather, he is a mean-spirited brat, his flashing eyes promising both enchantment and heartache. His curly locks frame a face that holds a blend of sweetness and rebellion—a portrayal that forces us to reconsider what love truly means.
As we stand before David’s work, we are invited to ponder the duality of love. It speaks to our desire for connection, yet it also warns us of the stark realities that can complicate our deepest feelings. Through this lens, Cupid is more than just a symbol of romance; he becomes a mirror reflecting our own struggles, a reminder that love, though beautiful, often dances along a precarious edge.
About the artist
Creating transformative experiences through art “for the benefit of all the people forever.”The Cleveland Museum of Art is renowned for the quality and breadth of its collection, which includes more than 66,500 artworks and spans 6,000 years of achievement in the arts. The artworks shared on this platform are sourced from the museum's Open Access data under the CC0 license. No endorsement is implied.Address: 11150 East Boulevard, Cleveland, OH, USA 44106
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